IDK, Luffy is a genius when it comes to fighting, being a judge of character, and helping others cope with their trauma. His ship is basically a traveling therapy center.
@@benrozner3353 Basically everyone on the crew are incredibly smart in one way or another, Sanji in cooking, Nami in weather, psychology, and navigation, Usopp just has a general wide berth of knowledge akin to a handyman, Chopper has amazing planning, medicine, and physiology skills and knowledge, Nico Robin also knows a ton about physiology, Franky is a master carpenter and engineer, Brook is likely an expert in music theory, etc.
I agree with you about The count of Montecristo, the main character is really smart and it's amazing how he plans things. I had some issues with the novel such us the pacing and the big cast of characters, but when we focus on the mind of the MC it was great.
My fave book I read in HS. We read it in both world lit and French. It's so amazing how much some translations leave out. I think I enjoyed the French copy more. I vividly remember the debates after the move came out and everyone being SO pissed at hollywood in how they ruined such a good story with hollywood bs. No changes needed
@@cecirapalini the movie was what introduced me to the book because in my country it's not a school reading so I am extremely nostalgic to it but I have to agree that it in no ways compares to the book, the story is so fleshed out and we miss so much nuances characters have cause of it it's actually criminal
@@unprocessed_life I also loved this so much when I read it in high school. Although it wasn't a required book for us, it's just that my best friend read it and I read it too based on his recommendation. Then in uni I read it again in French, and I think the experience is much the same if you have proper historical context (unlike the Chinese, Japanese and Korean books that I read, which are profoundly different either in tone or just, overall, ~flavor~ when translated to English). I love how it strays to different characters away from the MC to show how devious his plan is
Hi Merphy, just wanted to let you know that after watching your Interview with Rogersbase yesterday I got myself all three books from the Gentlemen Bastards trilogy :D
Luffy had the foresight to punch a giant whale in the eyeball so that he could recruit someone hundreds of chapters later. Shocked not to see him make the list. 1 star. Jk love ya Merph and keep up the good work!
Wow, the witch thing at the end caught me so off guard, even though it was the thumbnail, seeing you actually do it had me so surprised I was laughing uncontrollably, lol. It felt so out random, but seemed like a nice on brand turn of events. Also Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorites. So thanks for pulling that one up. I would love to see a video dedicated to that one alone too.
I say do it, reread the Count of Monte Cristo. I''ll reread it with you. I love, love, love it. Ever since your recommendation I've been wanting to read it and I finally did, and the Count of Monte Cristo skyrocketed into my top three. Now I've been wanting to reread it. By the way: Love your book recommendations.
Hi Merphy! I started to get into reading books just a few months ago, and I got "A Man called Ove" on your recommendation, and it was worth every single tear I shed. I found out about your channel recently and I'm loving the Book restoration series, and have been watching a lot of reviews and recommendations and rants, and of course, the One Piece videos, they bring me great joy. Love from India :D
You can try Fredrik backaman's other books I would recommend Beartown, its sequel - Us against them (the third book is supposed to relase this year end or so) and Britt marie was here and any other backman book honestly
omg Murphy I just read the 7 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and I have such mixed feelings but must say overall kinda loved it, there were definitely some foggy parts tho. I thought the plot, the atmosphere and characters were very smartly crafted. Honestly I would love to hear your thoughts on this book as well, I think you might enjoy it, its an interesting read for sure, recommend recommend.
I absolutely love A Natural History of Dragons. I actively try to push it on anyone. It is also one of the few books I consider getting a physical copy of.
I'm gonna recommend another manga here: *Death Note* . The protagonist and antagonist of Death Note (have fun deciding for yourself who's who) are both genuises trying to catch each other over a crime case. It's an intriguing cat-and-mouse game. I highly recommend it. ...and it's luckily wayyy shorter than One Piece.
Not really on topic but have you read 'a Wizards guide to defensive baking'? It's middle grade and it's just light hearted and absolutely hilarious. I laughed out loud almost every other page. It's short so it won't take long and in my opinion it's just a perfect palate cleanser after finishing a book that hit hard
Wool, the first book in the Silo Trilogy! The MC is a mechanic, she’s one of the most fun characters I’ve followed. A lot of the narrative is internal, and Hugh Howey writes it fantastically!
I completely agree with what you said about Michael Crichton, his charactors are not just like do anything without a complete proper thought process. I have read Airframe, even though I wasn't impressed by the plot. But I was happy that the characters were living up to their occupation, means if they are involved in an air crash investigation team, they are acting accordingly. Not just doing anything stupid. And same goes for the amazing Andronmeda Strain. And I guess you missed Blake Crouch's novels. They too have smart characters.
can you pls do a video on what your approach to reading should be, I always have trouble keeping up with the story at times because I only read a few pages a day and lose track. some tips on this subject would help greatly to a new reader like me. thanks
The Count of Monte Cristo is fantastic, one of my all time favorites. Some other intelligent protags I can think of (at least in their specific field) are Dresden, Vicious, and the Witcher. The titular character in Skulduggery Pleasant fits as well but he's kind of a secondary character, it's like reading Batman from the pov of Robin.
@@alexjames7144 I dunno, I feel like it is more of an age thing in the UK. I grew up with Skulduggery, sorta - a small bit late - and definitely saw it in a lot of places, in a lot of stores, but most people who knew it are aged out now. I think it's more of a fond memory not much talked about kind of book series, that I hope is still being discovered.
I saw the dragon book years ago in a book store and loved the cover art but was not sure whether I would like it. Until now I never heard about it since.
i love reading from the perspective of smart people especially when they are smarter than me. ugh it’s so satisfying for some reason. thanks for all the recs Merphy!
One of my favourite book series, belonging to the list is "barrayar" series (vorkosigan saga). I'm still baffled that none of my favourite booktubers seem to have read this marvelous space opera from lois mcmaster bujold, that won several awards (e.g. hugo awards).
I agree, Miles is a perfect fit for this list. A flawed genius, but a genius nonetheless. I sent her The Warrior's Apprentice a year or two ago and have been working to convince her to read it. She tells me its on her TBR, so hopefully we'll see it some time soon. I agree though, Bujold is criminally unrecognized on booktube. The only person who talks about Bujold on booktube is Rachel from Kalanadi.
@@NateGifford It is crazy too that she isn't more appreciated because she writes this classic sci-fi series but also is a fantastic fantasy author too with tons of excellent fantasy books too. You'd think there would be much more booktube appreciation given you can come across her if you only read fantasy and also if you only read sci-fi. She's deservedly award winning in both genres!
@@NateGifford Damn. It is so criminally unrecognized that I'm actually shook that I got responses to my post. Nice to know that this series DOES get at least more love than I thought (although not nearly enough imo). Keep up the good work! And thank you on my behalf for the hope you gave me that she'll finally check out this series. If that really happens you get a legendary status right under the one who convinced merphy to read One Piece! :D
Please read the Ascendance of a bookworm Light novel series. The main character is you in fictional form. also I would be very interested in your opinion on the differences in the publishing practices of Japanese Light novels/Manga compared to western novels.
Actually reading Jurassic Park now (based on your previous recommendations) and absolutely loving it and can't wait to re-watch the movie in celebration of such an amazing concept :D
And Then There were None is a fantastic book! It had me at the edge of my seat till the end! The Count of Monte Cristo is also a great one even though I’m only 1/4 through 😅
Tbh, I was disappointed with the end. Maybe bcz I had seen too much detective movies, series and anime. It felt anticlimactic for some reason. I was so disappointed that I didn't even read the epilogue
@@jojosoni6355 I read it right after I finished university, and it was the first book I’ve read for a long time, and only for pleasure, maybe that’s why I had a different experience. I’ve read other books of hers lately, and even though I could guess the murder, they were still enjoyable! Crooked House and Death on the Nile were great for different reasons.
@@jojosoni6355 What aspect didn’t you like? Cause I consider this her best in terms of thrill and the description of the character’s psychology under these circumstance. But thankfully her other books are great as well.
Currently adding on top of my TBR: Project Hail Mary, Count of Monte Cristo, and Bone Shard Daughter. I really like Lady Trent, currently reading Book 2. 😊 Another series that I think has the very smart protagonist is the Millenium series. Lisbeth Salander is a really smart one.
O_O A Natural History of Dragons sounds AMAZING, thank you!!! Ever since I finished Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel, I've been hoping to find something similar, but so far have not. ALSO, don't know if you have ever read JS and Mr. N, but Merphy, you would love it. Its like Jane Austen meets a gothic novel with faeries and magic.
Great video. Now I want to read Jurassic park and some of the other books you talked about. Could you make a video with great female protagonist book recommendations? I want to read more books with female protagonsits.
A natural history of dragons sounds a little like how to train your dragon (the movie). And I adore that movie because of the smart characters, amazingly loyal friends and the forbidden friendship trope. I also love Jane Austen so I think A Natural History of Dragons is now really high up on my TBR
For this category the first thing that comes to mind is the Chanur Saga by CJ Cherryh! It's a sci-fi series and the main/POV character is an alien chip's captain (the titular Chanur). She has a very no-nonsense straightforward narrative voice, and she goes into the events of the books from a 'I'm just an old ship's captain doing my job' kind of angle, like her smarts are all street-smarts, but as things go on and get more complicated it becomes more and more clear just how razor-sharp she is, the ways she handles all the diplomacy and sociological problems that are at the crux of the novels. I love dipping into Pyanfar Chanur's brain and watching it work no matter how many times I've read the series: the first novel in the saga, *Pride of Chanur*, stands alone, so if anyone wants to try a sci-fi series with the absolutely immaculate sketching out of alien culture and psychology that is Ms Cherry's strength, I can't recommend these books highly enough!
I recently downloaded I am legend on my kindle and I've started it and really enjoying it so far- the power of human resilience through tragedy. I'm hoping to re read Jurassic Park soon as I adore Crichton's writing style.
Hail Mary is good but the biggest plot inconsistency is that the protagonist was never meant to have astronaut skillsets. Yet he was able to do things astronauts have to train for in simulation due to the high likelihood of failure.
Not related to this video, but I finished my first Backman yesterday (My grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry). I loved it 🥰. I'm about to pick up The lies of Locke Lamora.
Almost done with house of chains I'm really enjoying it Going to start on ship of destiny today also finished the count of monte Cristo I really enjoyed the protagonist 😃🙂🤗😊
Another great video. I am also a fan of the JP novel over the movie. Some books listed here I need to add to my list. Thank you ... PS I know one should never judge a book by its cover but the bottom shelf to the right of the screen (as I see it). I feel like I need to know what the first front facing book is? It is very intriguing. Dark cover with gold crest of sorts, can you enlighten me? Thanks
Yep ed is a smart protagonist. Add joseph joestar too. And lelouch vi britannia. While geass can be silly , he is smart. Adrlett from rokka something. Konosuba, i get its a comedy and therefore not too serious, but kazuma, is actually smart and resourceful if he wants to.
1, 2. THE SINGING SANDS and THE DAUGHTER OF TIME by Josephine Tey 3. THE FARTHEST SHORE by Ursula K. LeGuin 4. CELESTIAL MATTERS by Richard Garfinkle 5. GLINDA OF OZ by L. Frank Baum (his last book; the plot focuses on completing a diplomatic mission and solving a technical problem, rather than on wandering around meeting weirdos as in more typical Oz books)
Sanji is smart, and robin, and luffy is emotional very smart. But neither of them are the protagonist. Oh nami ussop franky, but not luffy in that area.
@@marocat4749 sorry did u just say that luffy, sanji and robin are not the protagonists of one piece?? ( one piece definitely isn't an only one protagonist kinda story ).... the whole crew are protagonists in that story as far as i can see.
Interesting idea. Thinking about this there is a difference between having a smart protagonist and one just smarter/luckier than the antagonist. On that note, the list of smart antagonists is likely a little shorter. So might be an idea fr a future vid or how much a series would be different if the bad guy had a modicum of common sense. For example, was it that difficult to put a door with a lock at Mt. Doom? Maybe a guard or two? Personally, a common shortcoming in books is a lack of depth in the villain.
I think you'll really enjoy The Theif by Megan Whalen Tuener (the rest of the series is really good too and maintains the same level of quality from book to book) bonus points because the series is complete 😀
You should consider at least the first 3 books of the Black Company series. Frankly the Silver Spike and Books of the South are worth it as well. Given their circumstances they have pull off sneaky and underhanded things to survive.
I'm kind of suprised Kwothe is not on this list considering how he always makes sure his misfortunes give him a sort of advantage(like how he used the wiping to increase his rank)
I love this take. I do wish more characters thought through their actions. It would remove so much unneeded cringe. I also love emotional characters. That causes the real issue, doesn't it? Strong emotions are fine to over come a character's better judgment. Things like being frozen in fear as you scream at dinos. That is real and scary and yeah I would freeze up too!!! I can get in that characters head space easy. Both...Can I have both? Idk, but still 100% yes to what you said.
I love reading different genres and all but one thing that almost always takes me out of a story is when a normally smart protagonist makes dumb decisions for the plot to advance.
I.know most people here won’t read YA, but this whole video I just kept thinking about The Cruel Prince. Jude has to be the smartest protagonist I’ve ever seen (definitely not book smart though). Anyway, I’m definitely sold on The Count of Monte Cristo now!
Thanks, great list! Merphy, have you read "The Traitor Baru Cormorant"? One of my absolute smart-character faves, and would love to hear what you think of it!
Merphy, I wonder if you've ever been recommended The Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishops. It's probably my favorite series and has such a fascinating world and really well developed and smart characters. Thought I'd recommend it if it hasn't been brought up yet.
It's a very off beat suggestion for you, but I think you might like Rex Stout's "The Doorbell Rang". It's a detective story (not your favorite genre) where the protagonists have to outsmart the police, the FBI and the murderer. One of the two partners is the action gumshoe and the other is the reclusive genius. Fits this theme solidly.
Good book recommendations. How about smart protagonists who unceasingly overthink situations and decisions and mire the reader in the obsessive and repetitive agonies of indecision before finally making a decision? [Linden Avery from the Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant comes to mind as an example.]
I am currently reading The Unseen World by Liz Moore. The beginning is very slow, emotional. You get attached to the characters and it feels like a literary fiction novel. (trigger warning: Alzheimers disesase. this is not a spoiler since it is written in the back). But then, after like 150 pages, the plot picks up and the mystery comes in. I have a feeling you'd love it even though I haven't finished it yet! (plus the father-daughter relationship is remarkable).
If you like really smart and calculating characters check out Kings Dark Tidings by Kel Kade. Rezkin is a master at literally everything except the subtleties of social interactions. It's really really good! And there's a new book coming out next spring.
The Count of Monte Cristo! Yes! Give me more! I was listening to the french audio book lately (because I study french and wanted to get more into the classics) and boy, Edmond Dantès has conquered my heart and won't be leaving it for some time, if ever. So, do a re-read, I might do one as well, and then we'll chat. OK? :'D Btw, where do you always get these beautiful editions? I'm looking for the physical book now (in french, though) and I couldn't find anything yet that would speek to my aesthetic soul. But I'm also really bad when it comes to sourcing stuff...
It's a little out of the norm, but the web novel Worth The Candle just finished, and has one of the smartest protagonists I've ever encountered in a novel. I found myself just learning to be smarter just being inside his head lol.
I would consider him to be fairly impulsive a lot of the time, but since in many ways he‘s an expy of the author he’s heavily fleshed out and so you get his thought processes behind his actions whereas in other mediums the protagonists just look like they’re not thinking. Interestingly HPMoR talks about this concept in chapter 5 or so, on how people ascribe other‘s behaviors to be indicative of a personality trait rather than deliberate action or circumstance.
The Count of Monte Cristo is the first "actual" book that I read when i was a kid, but the whole time reading it i feel like im reading as a villain tho idk why.
If Jane Austen with dragons interests anyone, with the Natural History of Dragons book in the video (which I haven’t read, full disclosure), I recommend Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton. It doesn’t have much to do with this list (in terms of unusual intelligence), but it is fresh in my mind, and that book reminded me of it. It is different in that the main characters are all dragons, as opposed to humans. I bought it on a whim the last time I went to the book store because I happened to notice it and it intrigued me, but I really enjoyed it.
Writing this before finishing the video, I highly recommend the 2 most recent Thrawn trilogies (Star Wars). Thrawn is such an interesting character and his intelligence is unmatched in the Star Wars universe
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs. The lead is a math genius and uses his deductive skills to become an excellent spy shockingly fast. Most of the characters are smart and, while the lead makes mistakes and shows ignorance realistically as his skills develop, he is never unintelligent. Both gritty (or maybe grimy is a better term) and humorous. Gibbs is great at giving a mature tone to what would otherwise be a middle grade novel and I believe Spy School is one of his more mature series in terms of humor.
One of the few videos I was sure wouldn’t contain One Piece going in.
IDK, Luffy is a genius when it comes to fighting, being a judge of character, and helping others cope with their trauma. His ship is basically a traveling therapy center.
Q bhai
@@1sdani beat me to it
what about franky and chopper? both are really smart
@@benrozner3353 Basically everyone on the crew are incredibly smart in one way or another, Sanji in cooking, Nami in weather, psychology, and navigation, Usopp just has a general wide berth of knowledge akin to a handyman, Chopper has amazing planning, medicine, and physiology skills and knowledge, Nico Robin also knows a ton about physiology, Franky is a master carpenter and engineer, Brook is likely an expert in music theory, etc.
I agree with you about The count of Montecristo, the main character is really smart and it's amazing how he plans things. I had some issues with the novel such us the pacing and the big cast of characters, but when we focus on the mind of the MC it was great.
My fave book I read in HS. We read it in both world lit and French. It's so amazing how much some translations leave out. I think I enjoyed the French copy more. I vividly remember the debates after the move came out and everyone being SO pissed at hollywood in how they ruined such a good story with hollywood bs. No changes needed
@@unprocessed_life It's amazing that you had to read such a big book for school. I didn't like the movie at all
@@cecirapalini the movie was what introduced me to the book because in my country it's not a school reading so I am extremely nostalgic to it but I have to agree that it in no ways compares to the book, the story is so fleshed out and we miss so much nuances characters have cause of it it's actually criminal
@@cecirapalini I was blessed to go to a great school. We read amazing things from Jr high -up
@@unprocessed_life I also loved this so much when I read it in high school. Although it wasn't a required book for us, it's just that my best friend read it and I read it too based on his recommendation. Then in uni I read it again in French, and I think the experience is much the same if you have proper historical context (unlike the Chinese, Japanese and Korean books that I read, which are profoundly different either in tone or just, overall, ~flavor~ when translated to English). I love how it strays to different characters away from the MC to show how devious his plan is
Hi Merphy, just wanted to let you know that after watching your Interview with Rogersbase yesterday I got myself all three books from the Gentlemen Bastards trilogy :D
Books two and three are my favorites the series is definitely great 🥰😍
You'll love it!! 😊
I hope you love them!!!
If you love it, the 4th one actually drops tomorrow!
I’m starting the first today
You really out did yourself with this squarespace promotion. Seriously hilarious!
Luffy had the foresight to punch a giant whale in the eyeball so that he could recruit someone hundreds of chapters later. Shocked not to see him make the list. 1 star.
Jk love ya Merph and keep up the good work!
Wow, the witch thing at the end caught me so off guard, even though it was the thumbnail, seeing you actually do it had me so surprised I was laughing uncontrollably, lol. It felt so out random, but seemed like a nice on brand turn of events.
Also Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorites. So thanks for pulling that one up. I would love to see a video dedicated to that one alone too.
I say do it, reread the Count of Monte Cristo. I''ll reread it with you. I love, love, love it. Ever since your recommendation I've been wanting to read it and I finally did, and the Count of Monte Cristo skyrocketed into my top three. Now I've been wanting to reread it. By the way: Love your book recommendations.
Hi Merphy! I started to get into reading books just a few months ago, and I got "A Man called Ove" on your recommendation, and it was worth every single tear I shed. I found out about your channel recently and I'm loving the Book restoration series, and have been watching a lot of reviews and recommendations and rants, and of course, the One Piece videos, they bring me great joy. Love from India :D
You can try Fredrik backaman's other books I would recommend Beartown, its sequel - Us against them (the third book is supposed to relase this year end or so) and Britt marie was here and any other backman book honestly
@@apoorvajangale9667 thanks! i will put that on my list :)
SAAB
I read the count of Monte Christo on your recommendation. I didn't regret a thing, it was such a ride. Really gripping and satisfying to read
omg Murphy I just read the 7 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and I have such mixed feelings but must say overall kinda loved it, there were definitely some foggy parts tho. I thought the plot, the atmosphere and characters were very smartly crafted. Honestly I would love to hear your thoughts on this book as well, I think you might enjoy it, its an interesting read for sure, recommend recommend.
I love the 2003 film of The Count of Monte Cristo. Richard Harris's last performance and it was wonderful.
I absolutely love A Natural History of Dragons. I actively try to push it on anyone. It is also one of the few books I consider getting a physical copy of.
I am reading The Allow of Law right now and I really like Wax.
I like him way more than many of the protagonists in Era 1.
Same. As much as i enjoyed Era 1 and its characters, Era 2 just feels like a better setting for Allomancy as a magic system, and Wax is just a joy.
I love Wax. He is especially good in book 1.
I'm gonna recommend another manga here: *Death Note* .
The protagonist and antagonist of Death Note (have fun deciding for yourself who's who) are both genuises trying to catch each other over a crime case.
It's an intriguing cat-and-mouse game. I highly recommend it.
...and it's luckily wayyy shorter than One Piece.
Im a fan
The protagonist is the main character of a story, whether they are good or evil doesn’t change that.
I believe she's already read it, unless that was a general recommendation.
I read Death Note in middle school and was astounded by how smart the main character was and how many steps ahead he was always thinking.
Too bad death Note fell off after L's death and the series had a mediocre ending.
Love your ads. The only ones I listen to all the time. Square space better be giving you a premium rate
Am glad you LOVE Monte Cristo. It's one of my favorite book. The english is very good but the original version (french) is simply exquisite.
Wish I could read all of Dumas in French. He’s one of my favorite authors.
The ads keep getting better and better!!
Loved your apperance on Rogersbase stream btw
Not really on topic but have you read 'a Wizards guide to defensive baking'? It's middle grade and it's just light hearted and absolutely hilarious. I laughed out loud almost every other page. It's short so it won't take long and in my opinion it's just a perfect palate cleanser after finishing a book that hit hard
not yet but it's on my list!
Always fun to see a fellow Dutch person on my favourite TH-camrs 😁
I decided to start reading the book online because of your comment. So far I'm enjoying it, thanks for the suggestion :)
@@yomommasofatthanoshadtosna3479 that's so cool to hear! Glad you like it and thank you for letting me know!
I loved that one! It was such a fun read.
Wool, the first book in the Silo Trilogy! The MC is a mechanic, she’s one of the most fun characters I’ve followed. A lot of the narrative is internal, and Hugh Howey writes it fantastically!
I'm so glad you liked A Natural History of Dragons! It's officially my favourite book series ever, I hope you'll love the rest of the series too!
I completely agree with what you said about Michael Crichton, his charactors are not just like do anything without a complete proper thought process. I have read Airframe, even though I wasn't impressed by the plot. But I was happy that the characters were living up to their occupation, means if they are involved in an air crash investigation team, they are acting accordingly. Not just doing anything stupid. And same goes for the amazing Andronmeda Strain.
And I guess you missed Blake Crouch's novels. They too have smart characters.
can you pls do a video on what your approach to reading should be, I always have trouble keeping up with the story at times because I only read a few pages a day and lose track. some tips on this subject would help greatly to a new reader like me. thanks
The Count of Monte Cristo is fantastic, one of my all time favorites. Some other intelligent protags I can think of (at least in their specific field) are Dresden, Vicious, and the Witcher. The titular character in Skulduggery Pleasant fits as well but he's kind of a secondary character, it's like reading Batman from the pov of Robin.
Skulduggery pleasant is the og.
One of the few authors that understands that a genius character shouldn't make sense a lot of the time.
Loooooove Skullduggery Pleasant! Seems not well known here in the US.
@@kimesch9698 tbf I don't think it seems that well known in the UK either
@@alexjames7144 I dunno, I feel like it is more of an age thing in the UK. I grew up with Skulduggery, sorta - a small bit late - and definitely saw it in a lot of places, in a lot of stores, but most people who knew it are aged out now. I think it's more of a fond memory not much talked about kind of book series, that I hope is still being discovered.
Good god Merph that square space ad is the greatest I’ve ever came across 😂
I saw the dragon book years ago in a book store and loved the cover art but was not sure whether I would like it. Until now I never heard about it since.
i love reading from the perspective of smart people especially when they are smarter than me. ugh it’s so satisfying for some reason. thanks for all the recs Merphy!
One of my favourite book series, belonging to the list is "barrayar" series (vorkosigan saga). I'm still baffled that none of my favourite booktubers seem to have read this marvelous space opera from lois mcmaster bujold, that won several awards (e.g. hugo awards).
I agree, Miles is a perfect fit for this list. A flawed genius, but a genius nonetheless. I sent her The Warrior's Apprentice a year or two ago and have been working to convince her to read it. She tells me its on her TBR, so hopefully we'll see it some time soon. I agree though, Bujold is criminally unrecognized on booktube. The only person who talks about Bujold on booktube is Rachel from Kalanadi.
Yes! Thank you! I 100% agree. Bujold is one of my favorite authors and is so overlooked.
Sorcerer's Apprentice Reads is the channel that introduced me to this series
@@NateGifford It is crazy too that she isn't more appreciated because she writes this classic sci-fi series but also is a fantastic fantasy author too with tons of excellent fantasy books too. You'd think there would be much more booktube appreciation given you can come across her if you only read fantasy and also if you only read sci-fi. She's deservedly award winning in both genres!
@@NateGifford Damn. It is so criminally unrecognized that I'm actually shook that I got responses to my post. Nice to know that this series DOES get at least more love than I thought (although not nearly enough imo).
Keep up the good work! And thank you on my behalf for the hope you gave me that she'll finally check out this series. If that really happens you get a legendary status right under the one who convinced merphy to read One Piece! :D
Also:
- Sixteen ways to defend a walled city
- The Murderbot diaries
The Count of Monte Cristo is a top 5 book of all time for me. I’d love to see you do a review on it.
That thumbnail is a work of art
Book recs were ok but i really loved the skit.😂😂
Please read the Ascendance of a bookworm Light novel series. The main character is you in fictional form.
also I would be very interested in your opinion on the differences in the publishing practices of Japanese Light novels/Manga compared to western novels.
THIS
Actually reading Jurassic Park now (based on your previous recommendations) and absolutely loving it and can't wait to re-watch the movie in celebration of such an amazing concept :D
And Then There were None is a fantastic book! It had me at the edge of my seat till the end! The Count of Monte Cristo is also a great one even though I’m only 1/4 through 😅
Tbh, I was disappointed with the end. Maybe bcz I had seen too much detective movies, series and anime. It felt anticlimactic for some reason. I was so disappointed that I didn't even read the epilogue
I’m also to start monte cristo today. I’m excited.
@@jojosoni6355 I read it right after I finished university, and it was the first book I’ve read for a long time, and only for pleasure, maybe that’s why I had a different experience. I’ve read other books of hers lately, and even though I could guess the murder, they were still enjoyable! Crooked House and Death on the Nile were great for different reasons.
@@kathab8826 I feel like I was hyped too much for the book. And thus, the disappointment.
@@jojosoni6355 What aspect didn’t you like? Cause I consider this her best in terms of thrill and the description of the character’s psychology under these circumstance. But thankfully her other books are great as well.
Best add ever. Well done. Well done.
I really appreciated your list and hearing your thoughts about these recommendations. Thank you! :)
Currently adding on top of my TBR: Project Hail Mary, Count of Monte Cristo, and Bone Shard Daughter. I really like Lady Trent, currently reading Book 2. 😊
Another series that I think has the very smart protagonist is the Millenium series. Lisbeth Salander is a really smart one.
O_O A Natural History of Dragons sounds AMAZING, thank you!!! Ever since I finished Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel, I've been hoping to find something similar, but so far have not. ALSO, don't know if you have ever read JS and Mr. N, but Merphy, you would love it. Its like Jane Austen meets a gothic novel with faeries and magic.
Have you read Sorcery and Cecilia? It's also got a Jane Austen feel to it, it's in a parallel earth with magic.
Why are so few people talking about the ad at the end??😂😂😂
Great video. Now I want to read Jurassic park and some of the other books you talked about.
Could you make a video with great female protagonist book recommendations?
I want to read more books with female protagonsits.
A natural history of dragons sounds a little like how to train your dragon (the movie). And I adore that movie because of the smart characters, amazingly loyal friends and the forbidden friendship trope. I also love Jane Austen so I think A Natural History of Dragons is now really high up on my TBR
even more so like the multiple series where they specifically seek out and study new dragons
For this category the first thing that comes to mind is the Chanur Saga by CJ Cherryh! It's a sci-fi series and the main/POV character is an alien chip's captain (the titular Chanur). She has a very no-nonsense straightforward narrative voice, and she goes into the events of the books from a 'I'm just an old ship's captain doing my job' kind of angle, like her smarts are all street-smarts, but as things go on and get more complicated it becomes more and more clear just how razor-sharp she is, the ways she handles all the diplomacy and sociological problems that are at the crux of the novels. I love dipping into Pyanfar Chanur's brain and watching it work no matter how many times I've read the series: the first novel in the saga, *Pride of Chanur*, stands alone, so if anyone wants to try a sci-fi series with the absolutely immaculate sketching out of alien culture and psychology that is Ms Cherry's strength, I can't recommend these books highly enough!
I recently downloaded I am legend on my kindle and I've started it and really enjoying it so far- the power of human resilience through tragedy. I'm hoping to re read Jurassic Park soon as I adore Crichton's writing style.
If you want a Japanese novel with a smart protagonist I recommend the Zaregoto series :)
If you liked The Count of Monte Crisco, you might like Caleb Williams by William Godwin. Monte Crisco reminds me of Williams in certain ways.
Didn't realize I wanted this until I watched it. Good job.
If you haven't already, read The Martian! It's also written by Andy Weir and it's one of my favorite books of all time.
Ender - Enders Game.
Kvothe - Kingkiller. He's very smart but has 2 fatal flaws. His pride and Denna.
Feel like an obvious one is Sherlock Holmes.
Bean - Enders Shadow.
ARGHHH. Denna. I forgot about her and had a shudder of revulsion when I read your comment ahha.
omg that squarespace ad lmao so good
Glad to know there's still a market for these kind of protagonists.
count of monte cristo is the best story ever. ever. i was so happy to hear your brief take on it.
When I saw the title, I knew Project Hail Mary had to be on the list.
Hail Mary is good but the biggest plot inconsistency is that the protagonist was never meant to have astronaut skillsets. Yet he was able to do things astronauts have to train for in simulation due to the high likelihood of failure.
Not related to this video, but I finished my first Backman yesterday (My grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry). I loved it 🥰.
I'm about to pick up The lies of Locke Lamora.
Almost done with house of chains I'm really enjoying it
Going to start on ship of destiny today also finished the count of monte Cristo I really enjoyed the protagonist 😃🙂🤗😊
about to start monte cristo, I’m excited
Another great video. I am also a fan of the JP novel over the movie. Some books listed here I need to add to my list. Thank you ... PS I know one should never judge a book by its cover but the bottom shelf to the right of the screen (as I see it). I feel like I need to know what the first front facing book is? It is very intriguing. Dark cover with gold crest of sorts, can you enlighten me? Thanks
For a moment I thought she was gonna say Full Metal Alchemist.
As a side note full metal alchemist protagonists could also be on this category.
Yep ed is a smart protagonist. Add joseph joestar too. And lelouch vi britannia. While geass can be silly , he is smart. Adrlett from rokka something.
Konosuba, i get its a comedy and therefore not too serious, but kazuma, is actually smart and resourceful if he wants to.
I hope Merphy will give FMA a shot after One Piece. Pleaseeeeeeeee
All ads should be like this. Down with the squirrels
I love the idea of focusing on intelligent protagonists - great video
Finished Jurassic Park a few days ago and immediately thought of a few characters from that one. Grant and Malcolm especially.
1, 2. THE SINGING SANDS and THE DAUGHTER OF TIME by Josephine Tey
3. THE FARTHEST SHORE by Ursula K. LeGuin
4. CELESTIAL MATTERS by Richard Garfinkle
5. GLINDA OF OZ by L. Frank Baum (his last book; the plot focuses on completing a diplomatic mission and solving a technical problem, rather than on wandering around meeting weirdos as in more typical Oz books)
Long Price quartet: protagonist are smart. They're people, but they're smart. read em and weep
Finally, a video where One Piece wont be recommended lol
Kinda surprising that One Piece doesn't really have any particularly smart characters
@@ElzekoGD it's just that she hasn't reached that point of the story where it does have🤣🤣
@@ElzekoGD Nami took a stick made for party tricks and turned it into a versatile weapon of mas destruction.
Sanji is smart, and robin, and luffy is emotional very smart. But neither of them are the protagonist. Oh nami ussop franky, but not luffy in that area.
@@marocat4749 sorry did u just say that luffy, sanji and robin are not the protagonists of one piece?? ( one piece definitely isn't an only one protagonist kinda story ).... the whole crew are protagonists in that story as far as i can see.
You got me with the 80’s pro-wrestler pose thumbnail lol
Interesting idea. Thinking about this there is a difference between having a smart protagonist and one just smarter/luckier than the antagonist.
On that note, the list of smart antagonists is likely a little shorter. So might be an idea fr a future vid or how much a series would be different if the bad guy had a modicum of common sense.
For example, was it that difficult to put a door with a lock at Mt. Doom? Maybe a guard or two?
Personally, a common shortcoming in books is a lack of depth in the villain.
I think you'll really enjoy The Theif by Megan Whalen Tuener (the rest of the series is really good too and maintains the same level of quality from book to book) bonus points because the series is complete 😀
You should consider at least the first 3 books of the Black Company series. Frankly the Silver Spike and Books of the South are worth it as well. Given their circumstances they have pull off sneaky and underhanded things to survive.
Need a book about smart antagonists...btw, love a your videos. Love from India
I'm kind of suprised Kwothe is not on this list considering how he always makes sure his misfortunes give him a sort of advantage(like how he used the wiping to increase his rank)
He would be a great choice
Kvothe is simultaneously brilliant and a complete buffoon. Lol
As a pharmacy student, I would absolutely read Full Metal Pharmacist.
that skit at the end just made my year
I love this take. I do wish more characters thought through their actions. It would remove so much unneeded cringe.
I also love emotional characters. That causes the real issue, doesn't it? Strong emotions are fine to over come a character's better judgment. Things like being frozen in fear as you scream at dinos. That is real and scary and yeah I would freeze up too!!! I can get in that characters head space easy.
Both...Can I have both? Idk, but still 100% yes to what you said.
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin…
Or The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin…
Or almost any other book by her.
I love reading different genres and all but one thing that almost always takes me out of a story is when a normally smart protagonist makes dumb decisions for the plot to advance.
I don't know what I like more the book conversation or the ads lol
I.know most people here won’t read YA, but this whole video I just kept thinking about The Cruel Prince. Jude has to be the smartest protagonist I’ve ever seen (definitely not book smart though). Anyway, I’m definitely sold on The Count of Monte Cristo now!
Honestly, marketing companies are losing real talent by not hiring you. I absolutely love your ads, they're fun, creative and unique 💜
Smartest protagonist I've ever read was in the chinese light novel Reverend Insanity. I have never seen a mastermind character written so well
Merph-Lady, you’re the best!! I sincerely hope my character will earn being on this list someday!
Thanks, great list!
Merphy, have you read "The Traitor Baru Cormorant"? One of my absolute smart-character faves, and would love to hear what you think of it!
Smart and ruthless
If you like the genre or want to try it, the smartest character I've read is Victor from Victor the assassin series by Tom Wood.
Hope merphy give monster by urusawa Naoki a read..
Merphy, I wonder if you've ever been recommended The Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishops. It's probably my favorite series and has such a fascinating world and really well developed and smart characters. Thought I'd recommend it if it hasn't been brought up yet.
It's a very off beat suggestion for you, but I think you might like Rex Stout's "The Doorbell Rang". It's a detective story (not your favorite genre) where the protagonists have to outsmart the police, the FBI and the murderer. One of the two partners is the action gumshoe and the other is the reclusive genius. Fits this theme solidly.
Good book recommendations. How about smart protagonists who unceasingly overthink situations and decisions and mire the reader in the obsessive and repetitive agonies of indecision before finally making a decision? [Linden Avery from the Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant comes to mind as an example.]
I am currently reading The Unseen World by Liz Moore. The beginning is very slow, emotional. You get attached to the characters and it feels like a literary fiction novel. (trigger warning: Alzheimers disesase. this is not a spoiler since it is written in the back). But then, after like 150 pages, the plot picks up and the mystery comes in. I have a feeling you'd love it even though I haven't finished it yet! (plus the father-daughter relationship is remarkable).
I would put Piranesi on that list too. Or Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell....... but I'm biased.
I made this video before I read Piranesi but I very much agree
Maybe theres something wrong with my phone, but how did you comment two days ago when this video was posted 5 minutes ago?
@@potatodaily6088 early access through patreon!
@@theonlyslagathor Ohhhh XD
Omg your witch voice was ‘spot on’
If you like really smart and calculating characters check out Kings Dark Tidings by Kel Kade. Rezkin is a master at literally everything except the subtleties of social interactions. It's really really good! And there's a new book coming out next spring.
The Count of Monte Cristo! Yes! Give me more! I was listening to the french audio book lately (because I study french and wanted to get more into the classics) and boy, Edmond Dantès has conquered my heart and won't be leaving it for some time, if ever. So, do a re-read, I might do one as well, and then we'll chat. OK? :'D
Btw, where do you always get these beautiful editions? I'm looking for the physical book now (in french, though) and I couldn't find anything yet that would speek to my aesthetic soul. But I'm also really bad when it comes to sourcing stuff...
Everyone NEEDS TO start doing sponsorships this way
More pls
It's a little out of the norm, but the web novel Worth The Candle just finished, and has one of the smartest protagonists I've ever encountered in a novel. I found myself just learning to be smarter just being inside his head lol.
I would consider him to be fairly impulsive a lot of the time, but since in many ways he‘s an expy of the author he’s heavily fleshed out and so you get his thought processes behind his actions whereas in other mediums the protagonists just look like they’re not thinking. Interestingly HPMoR talks about this concept in chapter 5 or so, on how people ascribe other‘s behaviors to be indicative of a personality trait rather than deliberate action or circumstance.
Oh I watched the Count of Montecristo! Lol my French teacher played us the movie, I didn’t even know it was a book! Maybe I’ll give it a read one day
The Count of Monte Cristo is the first "actual" book that I read when i was a kid, but the whole time reading it i feel like im reading as a villain tho idk why.
also, Count of Monte Cristo actually got adapted to an anime too, which incidentally became one of my earliest introduction to anime as well.
If Jane Austen with dragons interests anyone, with the Natural History of Dragons book in the video (which I haven’t read, full disclosure), I recommend Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton. It doesn’t have much to do with this list (in terms of unusual intelligence), but it is fresh in my mind, and that book reminded me of it. It is different in that the main characters are all dragons, as opposed to humans. I bought it on a whim the last time I went to the book store because I happened to notice it and it intrigued me, but I really enjoyed it.
Basso from "The Folding Knife" is brilliant, flawed, but brilliant.
Elphaba’s got nothing on the Wicked Witch of the Spa Day.
have you read "the shamer's daughter"?
Writing this before finishing the video, I highly recommend the 2 most recent Thrawn trilogies (Star Wars). Thrawn is such an interesting character and his intelligence is unmatched in the Star Wars universe
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs. The lead is a math genius and uses his deductive skills to become an excellent spy shockingly fast. Most of the characters are smart and, while the lead makes mistakes and shows ignorance realistically as his skills develop, he is never unintelligent. Both gritty (or maybe grimy is a better term) and humorous. Gibbs is great at giving a mature tone to what would otherwise be a middle grade novel and I believe Spy School is one of his more mature series in terms of humor.