I love Durfee. His channel is great too but that series is so underrated. It's definitely going to be one of those dark fantasy classics a couple decades in the future.
The Five Warrior Angel series was absolutely amazing...and was almost my pick for your underrated reads video. The Lonesome Crown is probably in my top 10 reads of 2023. Enjoy! ...And looking forward to your thoughts! I currently reading Memories of Ice...and its quite a ride.
I love this lineup. Especially 5 Warrior Angels and Sun Eater. 5 Warrior Angels, IMO, kind of fits the grimdark label, so you can add it to First Law on your grimdark resume :). Sun Eater is pretty deceivingly dense and the first couple books have taken me a little longer to read than expected. Excellent material and entirely well delivered in a satisfying way.
Suneater is one of my priorities next year too. I also have to finish the Age of Madness trilogy and Three Body Problem. It might be cool to reread some of the later Riftwar books. I read them all about 12 years ago and then reread the first 3 in Riftwar and the Empire trilogy about 5 years ago. I could get behind a reread of the rest. The Serpent war books were pretty good if I remember correctly.
I loved ❤❤❤the Britannia tv show too!! I will definitely check out the podcast you referenced! I will let you let you know how I like The Dying Earth books too!! Did you catch the Secrets of the Dead: King Arthur’s Lost Kingdom? Very interesting archeological discoveries from 2017.
👍 I had not, so thank you very much for mentioning it! Can likewise recommend Sean Poage’s «The Retreat to Avalon» (Bernard Cornwell might be the superior battle writer in the «Warlord Chronicle», but I felt Poage WAY better captured 5-6th Century Britain and he is no slouch writing battle either!) for a great «Historical Arthur» take, and «Conscience of the King» by Alfred Duggan for a great «Arthur as a composite of multiple possible historical characters» take!
Woooooooooooo love to see Sun Eater on the horizon for you!!! Also I’m keen to try Five Warrior Angels myself and will be interested to see what you think!
Excellent plans Josh! I hope to read the first Suneater book this year, but it’s not a priority series for me. Your experience with Malazan sounds almost identical to mine. Made it through only half of Memories of Ice because I was so burned out by Deadhouse Gates.
The Sun Eater series is one that has caught my attention. Only problem is that it looks like it is the same thing for everyone else. Empire of Silence is back ordered everywhere.
Just finished Empire of Silence. Enjoyed it so much that before I even finished I bought the rest of the series. Hope to finish book 5 around the time book6 is out
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your interest in The Rosteval Saga! This video really makes my day! Also, sounds like an amazing 2024 in books--and I'm looking forward to your thoughts on The Five Warrior Angels (amazing) and Sun Eater (also amazing).
Great to hear you're giving Malazan another chance, Josh! You did leave that door open, so I'm not entirely shocked. I'm looking forward to starting Sun Eater as well in 2024. I hope you'll enjoy Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire Trilogy. Though it's his best known work, it's not actually typical of his writing because it's his only trilogy that is grimdark. 2024 will be an exciting year!
Good to know about the Broken Empire Trilogy is Lawrence's only grim dark trilogy in case it doesn't work for me. I had wanted to read the Book of the Ancestor as well anyway, but always good to have accurate expectations. I hope 2024 is great for both of us, and let's try to synch up with Sun Eater!
The third Elric omnibus volume crosses over heavily with Moorcock’s Von Bek series (the War Hound and the World’s Pain, the City in the Autumn Stars). To me they felt more like Von Bek novels with Elric as a guest star. I still like them a lot, but I’m not sure how well they would work without having read Von Bek (or at least a synopsis). The last book in volume 3 (the White Wolf’s Son) also crosses over heavily with the Hawkmoon series. However, Elric’s saga ends chronologically in volume 2 with Stormbringer, with volume 3 taking place on a dream quest during that book. Also, the most recent book, the Citadel of Forgotten Myths, doesn’t require having read any non-Elric books.
I will be starting the Lonesome Crown on audiobook when it gets released in 12/26/23, I have been waiting for over a year!! I also plan on finishing the Suneater by the end of 2024. I have wanted to read the Baroque Cycle too along with Empire of the Wolf. In early 2024, I should be finishing the Age of Madness and the Belgariad will be finished by New Years eve!! I think you should put in your 2025 tbr, Memory Sorrow & Thorn, and Gywnne’s Bloodsworn & The Faithful & The Fallen. Additionally, the Blacktongue Thief & the Daughter’s War being released June 2024. All fantastic, memorable reads!!!
Awesome plans ahead for you! I hope you love The Age of Madness and The Belgariad - I love those two very different series. I think the Tad Williams books will most likely be on the 2025 plans.
Great to see Neil Stephenson in your list - one of my favourites. I am not good with New Year lists - like most of my NY Resolutions they tend to drift into the year after next. However I do intend to reread a trilogy by Sara Douglass which I first read and loved a few years ago. It's the Axis trilogy - Battleaxe, Enchanter and Starman. I think this is one you might well enjoy. And I intend to start Giles Kristian's Arthurian trilogy. The first two anre Lancelot and Camelot with the third Arthur due in summer. Many thanks for your videos this year. Have a great Christmas and happy reading in 2024.
I've heard good things about Giles Kristian's books, so I'll need to get to them some time. Thanks for watching his year and happy reading to you as well!
I read the Coughlin Trilogy a couple of years ago and these books got me into Lehane. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. I also read Shelby Foote's Civil War books during the early part of the pandemic in 2019. They are history writen to be as gripping as a novel. Fantastic. I also re-read them on audio last year and are even more enjoyable.
Glad you hear you enjoyed the Coughlin Trilogy! I do love Lehane and look forward to reading them. Also glad to hear that you enjoyed Shelby Foote's books!
Hope you enjoy Malazan more this time around! Liking the first 2 to some degree but not the 3rd is definitely a pretty unique experience but that’s what we need to keep booktube interesting . Neal Stephenson is high up on my list for next year as well.
I don't thing you will like Prince of Thorns due to the main character. But if you like his writing his Books of the Ancestor may be more to your liking. Glad to hear you are giving .oI another shot. People seem to treat tbese books lie homework reading all the spreadsheets, guides, etc. which discourages them. Need to read Sun Eater and Durfee as well. At some point...
Good to know about Prince of Thorns. I had heard from others that every series of his is different, so if I don’t like one but like the writing to try another one. We shall see!
In 2019, Malazan became my first fantasy book. I was looking for another historical fiction when Gardens appeared on my Amazon page. Out of curiosity I read the Chapter 1 sample and was hooked. Took me 14 months to read the ten books and that's without reading any other books. It is the only long series (more than three books) I have read consecutively and finished. In hindsight, I believe the reason was because each book felt like a new book set in the same world but with many new characters, new long and short stories interweaved throughout and with solid endings. I think Midnight Tides still ranks as my all time favourite book.
I haven't read any Neal Stephenson yet, but I do have the Quicksilver 3xbook bundle and I've been eyeing it up for over 2 years. I may see how it does for you before I dive in 😁 That Civil War trilogy looks interesting, I love historical fiction and Civil War fiction. One example was John Jakes' North and South-- incredible! I'm reading Golden Fool right now, so I'll be wrapping up Tawny Man probably next month. And I plan to complete Realm of Elderlings by end of 2024. I'd much rather stretch it out and savor vs banging thru it all.
I found most of the Bantam Trade Paperbacks on Abebooks. I found somewhere on the internet the ISBN numbers and searched that way. If you want those ISBN numbers, feel free to email me redfurybooks at gmail and I'm happy to share that doc with you.
I read TheForgetting I read The Forgetting Moon and let me tell you... It's bad. So bad it was hard to finish. I'd say skip it but you already bought it. Maybe you'll like it but knowing your taste after following you for a while I believe you'll find the writing amateurish at best and the story nonsensical.Just a heads up to temper your expectations. Happy reading in the new year!
@@RedFuryBooks So many people on booktube rave about it I was just stunned by what I read. Maybe my expectations were too high. I sincerely hope you like it because Brian seems like a hell of nice guy.
I truly hope you’ve already read Robert E. Howard’s Conan before reading the lesser pastiche Conan books…? If not, you should be ashamed of yourself and scrap the Jordan books and read from the master first. Just trying to help.
Just wanted to say I followed your malazan journey and I completely understood you DNFing MOI because I read it during one of the most stressful times during university and the pressure of studying but also reading it just took a big toll on me. I finished dust of dreams recently and took a big break due to exams and only now have started the final book. Always love the way you articulate yourself when you discuss books and wish you the best 2024❤
Thanks for understanding my MOI DNF! I do hope it works for me, and I look forward to getting back into the series slowly. On to 2024 - Happy New Year!
Exciting plans! I really hope the sequels all live up to your expectations! And I have heard such great things about Sun Eater and Five Warrior Angels, so I also can't wait to get to those. Happy reading, Josh!
"Empire of Silence" was awful for me. The most boring read authored by a guy with serious talent. The whole book is "bad things happen to a guy. Then another one. And another one. The end." That's it. Literally no plot progression; don't really care about the protagonist in a big way.
I am also on book 3 of Malazan and we will see how that goes 😂 I also want to start the sun eater series and hopefully finish WoT (currently in the middle of the slog). If I have time I would like to finish The Expanse series but I also want to read a lot more self published fantasy/sci fi
Reading Empire of Silence at the moment, and I can't get into it, to put things mildly. Bummer, a lot of ppl seem to really enjoy it and I just can't understand why.
Good luck with your 2024 reading plans! I may read along with you on The Forgetting Moon since it’s also one that’s been sitting on my bookshelf for at least a couple of years and keep hearing how great the trilogy is.
I hope I am not beating a dead horse here, but «Salammbo» by Gustave Flaubert might be a good primer for getting back to Malazan, as it is almost a 200-Page Malazan Book! 😄 For 2024 I plan to start with «Imperium» by Robert Harris (about the Roman Politician Cicero), «Ash: A Secret History» by Mary Gentle (Alt-Historical Fiction inspired by the Mercenary Wars of the Renaissance) and the «Lyonesse» Trilogy by Jack Vance ((pre-)Arthurian Fantasy)! I will continue with «Wise Mans Fear» by Patrick Rothfuss, the «Bernicia Chronicles» by Matthew Harffy and (while they are stand alones) «Last Light of the Sun» & «A Brightness Long Ago» (set in the same Universe as «The Lions of Al-Rassan» & «The Sarantine Mosaic»-duology». I might get also continue with «Elric» and start «Kane» by Karl Edward Wagner and «Second Apocalypse» by R. Scott Bakker, but those are more MBR than TBR for next year at least. I also hope to get to the «Boudica»-series by Manda Scott, the «Gael Song»-series by Shauna Lawless, «Bloodsworn Saga #3» by John Gwynne and the «Horatio Hornblower»-series by CS Forester, as well as the next books by Vaughn Roycroft and our dear Professor Philip Chase!
Mac I just purchased Tales of the Dying Earth! I assume you read it? I also have a copy of the Children of Gods & Fighting Men. I started it last year and then had to return it to the library…then one day it showed up at my door as I forgot I pre-ordered it. I will take that as a sign from “the Gods”. All of Ed Gwynne’s hype for Boudica is real, it is an incredible read! So emotional, I am taking a long break before I start Dreaming of the Bull…
@@heidi6281 I actually have not read any Jack Vance before, so «Lyonesse» will be my introduction to him! I know I sort of is starting with the late Vance with it, but I was intrigued to read his take on Arthuriana! But I have read «Zothique» by Clark Ashton Smith, which I believe was an inspiration for «Dying Earth», as well as his contemporaries Fritz Leiber’s «Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser» & Poul Anderson’s «The Broken Sword». Can also recommend the «Appendix N Book Club» Podcast, which have talked about several of the «Dying Earth»-stories! Looking forward to hear your thoughts of it! 😊 A Sign indeed! I recent read a History Book about how the Viking Settlements of Dublin, Man and the Scottish Isles were tied to Southwest Norway (and possibly the Kingdom of «Westfoldam» mentioned in Frankish Annals), so I am very intrigued by «Gael Song»! I finished Adrian Goldsworthty’s «Vindolandia»-Trilogy this year, set in Roman Britain a Generation or two after Boudicca and enjoyed the «Britannia»-TV Show, so I am very excited for Scott’s take on Boudicca!
Mac my response to you is in the reg comments, I do not think it went direct to you. I just listened to Appendix N discussion of the Book of Three! Thank you for such a wonderful gift! I saved like 15 episodes to listen too!
@@heidi6281 Thank you for the heads up, Heidi! Yeah, the Appendix N Bookclub is a real hoot: Not only is it almost always a good time listen, but in a time where the schism/dual echo chamber of «D&D/Fantasy in general has gone to woke, they do not make it like they used to!»/«All Old School D&D/Fantasy in General is problematic/chauvinistic» has gone highwire, I love how «ANBC» bring the best of «Old School» to a new audience (both sincerely and with in tongue in cheek)! 😄 Merry Christmas Heidi! 😊
Respect for trying out Malazan again. It is a tough series and I hit a wall while reading it too. A big break and reading at my own pace helped me immensely
I love Durfee. His channel is great too but that series is so underrated. It's definitely going to be one of those dark fantasy classics a couple decades in the future.
Awesome - can't wait to read his books!
The Five Warrior Angel series was absolutely amazing...and was almost my pick for your underrated reads video. The Lonesome Crown is probably in my top 10 reads of 2023. Enjoy! ...And looking forward to your thoughts! I currently reading Memories of Ice...and its quite a ride.
Oh, great to know about the Durfee books!
I love this lineup. Especially 5 Warrior Angels and Sun Eater. 5 Warrior Angels, IMO, kind of fits the grimdark label, so you can add it to First Law on your grimdark resume :). Sun Eater is pretty deceivingly dense and the first couple books have taken me a little longer to read than expected. Excellent material and entirely well delivered in a satisfying way.
Agreed, it does have some grimdark aspects--though it's also really, really epic!
Sounds awesome - can't wait to get into both of these series!
Suneater is one of my priorities next year too. I also have to finish the Age of Madness trilogy and Three Body Problem. It might be cool to reread some of the later Riftwar books. I read them all about 12 years ago and then reread the first 3 in Riftwar and the Empire trilogy about 5 years ago. I could get behind a reread of the rest. The Serpent war books were pretty good if I remember correctly.
Good to know about the Serpent War books! I hope you love the end of the Age of Madness Trilogy. I think Abercrombie really stuck the landing.
I’m all caught up on the Sun Eater….just fantastic….you’ll love it.
Can't wait!
I’m 20% through the third book of Durfee’s series, The Lonesome Crown, very good stuff.
Awesome! Can't wait to get started!
Love those covers ! Your shelves are beautiful. Love that WOT collection.
Thanks!
I loved ❤❤❤the Britannia tv show too!! I will definitely check out the podcast you referenced! I will let you let you know how I like The Dying Earth books too!! Did you catch the Secrets of the Dead: King Arthur’s Lost Kingdom? Very interesting archeological discoveries from 2017.
👍
I had not, so thank you very much for mentioning it! Can likewise recommend Sean Poage’s «The Retreat to Avalon» (Bernard Cornwell might be the superior battle writer in the «Warlord Chronicle», but I felt Poage WAY better captured 5-6th Century Britain and he is no slouch writing battle either!) for a great «Historical Arthur» take, and «Conscience of the King» by Alfred Duggan for a great «Arthur as a composite of multiple possible historical characters» take!
Yes!!! 😀 All my fingers are crossed that you’ll feel the Malazan love. Glad you’re at least giving it a go.
Thanks, Matt, I hope so too!
Happy New Year, my friend. Happy reading in the new year
Thank you, Peter, you too!
I loved the first two books of the Five Warrior Angel trilogy! I plan to reread them then dive into The Lonesome Crown.
Awesome!
Woooooooooooo love to see Sun Eater on the horizon for you!!! Also I’m keen to try Five Warrior Angels myself and will be interested to see what you think!
Yes, I'm excited for Sun Eater! And Durfee's books have been on the shelf too long - time to dive in!
Excellent plans Josh! I hope to read the first Suneater book this year, but it’s not a priority series for me. Your experience with Malazan sounds almost identical to mine. Made it through only half of Memories of Ice because I was so burned out by Deadhouse Gates.
Glad to hear I'm not alone with Memories of Ice, Chas! Hopefully it will work for me the second time around.
Forgetting Moon was a really fun read, and I absolutely loved Empire of Silence. Great list altogether!! You've got a new subscriber for sure.
Awesome, man, thanks for hanging out! Looking forward to Durfee's books and Sun Eater for sure!
I've subscribed, I like your shelves and also the way you talk about books. We share a passion.
Awesome! Thanks for hanging out!
Looking to start sun eater this year aswell!
The Sun Eater series is one that has caught my attention. Only problem is that it looks like it is the same thing for everyone else. Empire of Silence is back ordered everywhere.
On the flip side, there may be a lot of us reading at the same time!
Just finished Empire of Silence. Enjoyed it so much that before I even finished I bought the rest of the series. Hope to finish book 5 around the time book6 is out
Outstanding!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your interest in The Rosteval Saga! This video really makes my day! Also, sounds like an amazing 2024 in books--and I'm looking forward to your thoughts on The Five Warrior Angels (amazing) and Sun Eater (also amazing).
I'm going to read The Last War, by Mike Shackle, and I'd have to put that as the series I'm most looking forward to starting in 2024.
Looking forward to it, and thanks again for joining the video!
Great to hear you're giving Malazan another chance, Josh! You did leave that door open, so I'm not entirely shocked. I'm looking forward to starting Sun Eater as well in 2024. I hope you'll enjoy Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire Trilogy. Though it's his best known work, it's not actually typical of his writing because it's his only trilogy that is grimdark. 2024 will be an exciting year!
Good to know about the Broken Empire Trilogy is Lawrence's only grim dark trilogy in case it doesn't work for me. I had wanted to read the Book of the Ancestor as well anyway, but always good to have accurate expectations. I hope 2024 is great for both of us, and let's try to synch up with Sun Eater!
Been really wanting to read The Given Day by Lehane! I may have to join you in reading that this year.
Awesome! That would be great
Yes. As I mentioned in your other video, Malazan is like a cat. :D
The third Elric omnibus volume crosses over heavily with Moorcock’s Von Bek series (the War Hound and the World’s Pain, the City in the Autumn Stars). To me they felt more like Von Bek novels with Elric as a guest star. I still like them a lot, but I’m not sure how well they would work without having read Von Bek (or at least a synopsis). The last book in volume 3 (the White Wolf’s Son) also crosses over heavily with the Hawkmoon series. However, Elric’s saga ends chronologically in volume 2 with Stormbringer, with volume 3 taking place on a dream quest during that book. Also, the most recent book, the Citadel of Forgotten Myths, doesn’t require having read any non-Elric books.
Thank you for this information - this really helps keeping my expectations in the right place going forward. Thank you!
I will be starting the Lonesome Crown on audiobook when it gets released in 12/26/23, I have been waiting for over a year!! I also plan on finishing the Suneater by the end of 2024.
I have wanted to read the Baroque Cycle too along with Empire of the Wolf. In early 2024, I should be finishing the Age of Madness and the Belgariad will be finished by New Years eve!!
I think you should put in your 2025 tbr, Memory Sorrow & Thorn, and Gywnne’s Bloodsworn & The Faithful & The Fallen. Additionally, the Blacktongue Thief & the Daughter’s War being released June 2024. All fantastic, memorable reads!!!
Awesome plans ahead for you! I hope you love The Age of Madness and The Belgariad - I love those two very different series. I think the Tad Williams books will most likely be on the 2025 plans.
Great to see Neil Stephenson in your list - one of my favourites. I am not good with New Year lists - like most of my NY Resolutions they tend to drift into the year after next. However I do intend to reread a trilogy by Sara Douglass which I first read and loved a few years ago. It's the Axis trilogy - Battleaxe, Enchanter and Starman. I think this is one you might well enjoy. And I intend to start Giles Kristian's Arthurian trilogy. The first two anre Lancelot and Camelot with the third Arthur due in summer.
Many thanks for your videos this year. Have a great Christmas and happy reading in 2024.
I've heard good things about Giles Kristian's books, so I'll need to get to them some time. Thanks for watching his year and happy reading to you as well!
I read the Coughlin Trilogy a couple of years ago and these books got me into Lehane. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. I also read Shelby Foote's Civil War books during the early part of the pandemic in 2019. They are history writen to be as gripping as a novel. Fantastic. I also re-read them on audio last year and are even more enjoyable.
Glad you hear you enjoyed the Coughlin Trilogy! I do love Lehane and look forward to reading them. Also glad to hear that you enjoyed Shelby Foote's books!
That civil war set looks very cool , you must have read “ killer angels “ by Michal Shara. I still think about that book all the time
Oh yes, the Killer Angels is a top 10 historical novel for me. Such gripping and well-written book.
Hope you enjoy Malazan more this time around! Liking the first 2 to some degree but not the 3rd is definitely a pretty unique experience but that’s what we need to keep booktube interesting .
Neal Stephenson is high up on my list for next year as well.
I hope that's the case with me and Malazan!
I don't thing you will like Prince of Thorns due to the main character. But if you like his writing his Books of the Ancestor may be more to your liking.
Glad to hear you are giving .oI another shot. People seem to treat tbese books lie homework reading all the spreadsheets, guides, etc. which discourages them.
Need to read Sun Eater and Durfee as well. At some point...
Good to know about Prince of Thorns. I had heard from others that every series of his is different, so if I don’t like one but like the writing to try another one. We shall see!
I'm also going to get on the Suneater train. All I need is for the upcoming reprinting of Empire of Silence to ship so I can get going.
Yes, it seems that everyone has bought out the current copies of Empire of Silence! I hope you get it soon!
@RedFuryBooks I hope my wife is one of those people. Feels weird having book 2 through 5 already 🤣😂
@@mattamant915 Haha, yeah, something's missing! I have one of the later books of Janny Wurts' war of light and shadow so I feel that!
In 2019, Malazan became my first fantasy book. I was looking for another historical fiction when Gardens appeared on my Amazon page. Out of curiosity I read the Chapter 1 sample and was hooked. Took me 14 months to read the ten books and that's without reading any other books. It is the only long series (more than three books) I have read consecutively and finished. In hindsight, I believe the reason was because each book felt like a new book set in the same world but with many new characters, new long and short stories interweaved throughout and with solid endings.
I think Midnight Tides still ranks as my all time favourite book.
That's awesome! I hope that my Malazan experience will be a great one by reading it at my own pace.
I haven't read any Neal Stephenson yet, but I do have the Quicksilver 3xbook bundle and I've been eyeing it up for over 2 years. I may see how it does for you before I dive in 😁
That Civil War trilogy looks interesting, I love historical fiction and Civil War fiction. One example was John Jakes' North and South-- incredible!
I'm reading Golden Fool right now, so I'll be wrapping up Tawny Man probably next month. And I plan to complete Realm of Elderlings by end of 2024. I'd much rather stretch it out and savor vs banging thru it all.
Yes, savor The Realm of the Elderlings! It's so fantastic. I haven't read the John Jakes books but will at some point.
I read crypotonomincon this year and loved it so i will be starting quicksilver early in the new year. Exctied to hear your thoughts on it
Excellent! I'm excited to read Stephenson this year.
hey...😊❤
As much as i love Malazan Book of the Fallen, I'm confident if I'd done it as part of a readlong I'd never have finished it.
I'm hoping that not being in the read along will help me enjoy it at my own pace.
Where did you get that Memories of Ice version? I can only seem to find mmpb
I found most of the Bantam Trade Paperbacks on Abebooks. I found somewhere on the internet the ISBN numbers and searched that way. If you want those ISBN numbers, feel free to email me redfurybooks at gmail and I'm happy to share that doc with you.
I read TheForgetting
I read The Forgetting Moon and let me tell you... It's bad. So bad it was hard to finish. I'd say skip it but you already bought it. Maybe you'll like it but knowing your taste after following you for a while I believe you'll find the writing amateurish at best and the story nonsensical.Just a heads up to temper your expectations. Happy reading in the new year!
So sorry to hear this didn't work for you. Hopefully it works for me.
@@RedFuryBooks So many people on booktube rave about it I was just stunned by what I read. Maybe my expectations were too high. I sincerely hope you like it because Brian seems like a hell of nice guy.
Yes, expectations as well as when we read something will often affect our reception of a book. Hopefully his books work for me!
Brian Lee Durfee has a fun booktube channel too. Don't know how he makes time to write because he reads a bunch of novels in a month.
Durfee is a reading machine!
I love sun eater youll love sun eater everyone loves sun eater!
That certainly seems to be the case!
I truly hope you’ve already read Robert E. Howard’s Conan before reading the lesser pastiche Conan books…? If not, you should be ashamed of yourself and scrap the Jordan books and read from the master first. Just trying to help.
Oh yeah, I read all of Howard's Conan stories last year, and then read a huge volume of his other works this year. He's far underrated in my mind.
@@RedFuryBooks Karl Edward Wagner’s Conan pastiche is pretty good too.
@@AgnosticTruth thank you - that's great to know, and I was wondering where to go next after the Jordan books.
Very ambitious plans Josh 👌
Five Warrior Angels is also on my list and I need to continue Sun Eater.
That Civil War series looks great! Good luck with Memories of Ice. I think you're taking the right approach.
Thanks! I do hope not being stuck to a schedule will help me enjoy Malazan.
Looks like a great year coming. Looking forward to January and the buddy read!
Absolutely looking forward to it!
I definitely want to read all of Riftwar again next year and very excited for 5 Warrior Angels buddy read 🤘🏽
It's gonna be fun to share our thoughts with Durfee's books!
Just wanted to say I followed your malazan journey and I completely understood you DNFing MOI because I read it during one of the most stressful times during university and the pressure of studying but also reading it just took a big toll on me. I finished dust of dreams recently and took a big break due to exams and only now have started the final book. Always love the way you articulate yourself when you discuss books and wish you the best 2024❤
Thanks for understanding my MOI DNF! I do hope it works for me, and I look forward to getting back into the series slowly. On to 2024 - Happy New Year!
Exciting plans! I really hope the sequels all live up to your expectations! And I have heard such great things about Sun Eater and Five Warrior Angels, so I also can't wait to get to those. Happy reading, Josh!
Thanks, Esmay! Fingers crossed for a lot of 5-star reads next year!
"Empire of Silence" was awful for me. The most boring read authored by a guy with serious talent. The whole book is "bad things happen to a guy. Then another one. And another one. The end." That's it. Literally no plot progression; don't really care about the protagonist in a big way.
Sorry to hear it didn't work for you. I hope it'll work for me whenever I get to it this year.
I loved The Broken Empire but it’s not for everyone. Hope you enjoy it as well. The only Lawerence series I didn’t love was The Book of Ice.
Good to know - thank you!
I am also on book 3 of Malazan and we will see how that goes 😂 I also want to start the sun eater series and hopefully finish WoT (currently in the middle of the slog). If I have time I would like to finish The Expanse series but I also want to read a lot more self published fantasy/sci fi
Fingers crossed the Memories of Ice works for us both! Best of luck pushing through the slog... it's worth it once you get to Knife of Dreams!
There are some tremendous interviews with Shelby Foote on TH-cam. His knowledge was second to none. Brilliant man.
Indeed! I've watched a lot of those interviews - in fact I almost included a snippet in my video but didn't want to bog things down.
Good to see the Sun Eater series on the list. It is sooooo good. And I must say, Malazan is worth the considerable effort.
I hope you're right with Malazan!
Reading Empire of Silence at the moment, and I can't get into it, to put things mildly. Bummer, a lot of ppl seem to really enjoy it and I just can't understand why.
The Empire of Scilence can be slow and Hadrian isnt exactly a likable character at first but wow does that change
Sorry to hear that it didn't work for you.
Good luck with your 2024 reading plans!
I may read along with you on The Forgetting Moon since it’s also one that’s been sitting on my bookshelf for at least a couple of years and keep hearing how great the trilogy is.
That's great! I hope we both love The Forgetting Moon.
I hope I am not beating a dead horse here, but «Salammbo» by Gustave Flaubert might be a good primer for getting back to Malazan, as it is almost a 200-Page Malazan Book! 😄
For 2024 I plan to start with «Imperium» by Robert Harris (about the Roman Politician Cicero), «Ash: A Secret History» by Mary Gentle (Alt-Historical Fiction inspired by the Mercenary Wars of the Renaissance) and the «Lyonesse» Trilogy by Jack Vance ((pre-)Arthurian Fantasy)!
I will continue with «Wise Mans Fear» by Patrick Rothfuss, the «Bernicia Chronicles» by Matthew Harffy and (while they are stand alones) «Last Light of the Sun» & «A Brightness Long Ago» (set in the same Universe as «The Lions of Al-Rassan» & «The Sarantine Mosaic»-duology».
I might get also continue with «Elric» and start «Kane» by Karl Edward Wagner and «Second Apocalypse» by R. Scott Bakker, but those are more MBR than TBR for next year at least.
I also hope to get to the «Boudica»-series by Manda Scott, the «Gael Song»-series by Shauna Lawless, «Bloodsworn Saga #3» by John Gwynne and the «Horatio Hornblower»-series by CS Forester, as well as the next books by Vaughn Roycroft and our dear Professor Philip Chase!
Mac I just purchased Tales of the Dying Earth! I assume you read it? I also have a copy of the Children of Gods & Fighting Men. I started it last year and then had to return it to the library…then one day it showed up at my door as I forgot I pre-ordered it. I will take that as a sign from “the Gods”. All of Ed Gwynne’s hype for Boudica is real, it is an incredible read! So emotional, I am taking a long break before I start Dreaming of the Bull…
@@heidi6281 I actually have not read any Jack Vance before, so «Lyonesse» will be my introduction to him! I know I sort of is starting with the late Vance with it, but I was intrigued to read his take on Arthuriana! But I have read «Zothique» by Clark Ashton Smith, which I believe was an inspiration for «Dying Earth», as well as his contemporaries Fritz Leiber’s «Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser» & Poul Anderson’s «The Broken Sword». Can also recommend the «Appendix N Book Club» Podcast, which have talked about several of the «Dying Earth»-stories! Looking forward to hear your thoughts of it! 😊
A Sign indeed! I recent read a History Book about how the Viking Settlements of Dublin, Man and the Scottish Isles were tied to Southwest Norway (and possibly the Kingdom of «Westfoldam» mentioned in Frankish Annals), so I am very intrigued by «Gael Song»!
I finished Adrian Goldsworthty’s «Vindolandia»-Trilogy this year, set in Roman Britain a Generation or two after Boudicca and enjoyed the «Britannia»-TV Show, so I am very excited for Scott’s take on Boudicca!
Mac my response to you is in the reg comments, I do not think it went direct to you. I just listened to Appendix N discussion of the Book of Three! Thank you for such a wonderful gift! I saved like 15 episodes to listen too!
@@heidi6281 Thank you for the heads up, Heidi!
Yeah, the Appendix N Bookclub is a real hoot: Not only is it almost always a good time listen, but in a time where the schism/dual echo chamber of «D&D/Fantasy in general has gone to woke, they do not make it like they used to!»/«All Old School D&D/Fantasy in General is problematic/chauvinistic» has gone highwire, I love how «ANBC» bring the best of «Old School» to a new audience (both sincerely and with in tongue in cheek)! 😄
Merry Christmas Heidi! 😊
A solid plan, my friend! I need to prioritize the Jack Vance books in 2025. I know GGK will be in my plans next year too!
Respect for trying out Malazan again. It is a tough series and I hit a wall while reading it too. A big break and reading at my own pace helped me immensely
I'm hoping that's the case for me - maybe not having the schedule to adhere to will help.