These books aren’t in any particular order other than “I think I’ll talk about this one next” and “the ones I already talk about too much will be at the end” What should I add to my list to read based off what I said I loved in this list?

@maem7462

Жыл бұрын

@@britneynicolewrites I looked her up and her books seem so interesting. They are being added to my list

@rowan2222

Жыл бұрын

I'm curious if you've ever read anything by Seanan McGuire (or her horror pseudonym Mira Grant and YA pseudonym A. Deborah Baker)? I looove Seanan, her Wayward Children series won the best series Hugo this past year & it's fantastic (but I love everything I've read from her basically)

@rowan2222

Жыл бұрын

@@britneynicolewrites The Newsflesh series! First book is Feed :)

@danbrottman41

Жыл бұрын

Lois McMaster Bujold. Steven Brust. Connie Willis. Naomi Novik.

@vojtechtesar7114

Жыл бұрын

I think Hiromu Arakawa definitely deserves a spot on this list. She wrote only FMA in the fantasy genre as far as I know, but just this series is enough to put her on the absolute top for me.

‘It doesn’t feel like there’s a plot that’s happening; it feels like there’s a world that’s happening.’ This is such a nice way to describe my favourite kind of fantasy story.

@Avzigoyhbasilsikos

Жыл бұрын

Read book of the new sun, stuff happens but it doesn’t feel like it actually happened

@dajtoad1

Жыл бұрын

@@Avzigoyhbasilsikos first I’ve heard that book talked about in a long time. It seems to be passed over a lot.

@jaydenbell4975

Жыл бұрын

@@dajtoad1 It's not passed over enough

@dajtoad1

Жыл бұрын

@@jaydenbell4975 lol

@Avzigoyhbasilsikos

Жыл бұрын

@@dajtoad1 yea, it’s having a resurgent, one of the best books in both sci-fi/fantasy. A lot of booktubers and other pages are exposing it. People would either worship or detest it

I'm so happy that Pratchett made this list, he would be my number one when it comes to skills with words. The way he plays with language is amazing

@Darth_Xionn

Жыл бұрын

I wish I had been able to get into Terry, just wasn't for me.

@eaptan

Жыл бұрын

I laughed so hard when in guards guards they succeeded in landing 1/1000000 shot by positioning themselves in such a way that the chance of hitting was exactly 1/1000000

@eaptan

Жыл бұрын

​@Darth_Xionn what books did you try out? I didn't like every single one but the ones that hit for me were excellent

@dajtoad1

Жыл бұрын

I love his Latation. If you can figure it out before the “translation”, it gives extra pleasure!

@7Seraphem7

Жыл бұрын

@@eaptan Except they failed, and I love the subtle reason implied in why they failed. They were aiming for the dragons "voolnerables" and trying to make the odds of hitting there exactly 1 million to 1. Except later on we learn... there was never any chance at all of them hitting said 'voolnerables' because the dragon, was female. But yes, Sir Pterry was a true grandmaster wordsmith. He could pack more meaning, emotion, nuance, and power into a single sentence then some authors can fit into an entire novel.

I've been feeling really shitty for the past two days but seeing Merphy light up when talking about One Piece literally made my body feel better. It was like a doctor prescribed injection of wholesomeness. I appreciate the unexpected pick me up.

I've started to read Pratchett recently after hearing about him for so long and I'm both sad I didn't read his works earlier and excited to read more

@InWeCome

Жыл бұрын

i started reading his books when i was young and i think he shaped my sense of humor and was a huge help in learning English and understanding the intricacies of language. His books should be on school reading lists.

@dajtoad1

Жыл бұрын

Better late than never. Welcome!

@nickball4071

Жыл бұрын

​@@InWeComeI gave a copy of Monstrous Regiment to one of my English teachers to read after she asked me what it was about, she taught me when I was in the extra help set and seeing me read a book on the playground shocked her slightly and so I told her and she seemed interested in it, so when I was done I gave it to her and she read it in two days. She enjoyed it so much and thought his unique use of satire and whimsical use of comedy to drive home deeper themes would be perfect for us kids to learn from instead of Edgar Allan Poe (he was a great satirist as well as a gothic poet but most know him only as the latter) on our English language GCSE, specifically the unit we do on satire. She petitioned the board of governors with a signed petition from the student body with no luck. It was a shame but seeing a nearly 60 year woman fall head over heels with a book recommendation from a 15 year old boy, who had never read a book for fun at the time, shows the vastness of his audience and the skill he held as a writer.

@zedgathegreat9122

Жыл бұрын

Congratulations you've found him and his works. You're going to enjoy it and have a lot of fun. Don't worry you haven't read him earlier in your life, just be glad you have found him at all. It's such an amazing and unique world, and the whole satire running through the entire series is just... brilliant. Monty Python levels of satire, with good stories and meanings and world building. He will always have a special place in my heart, and one of the greatest authors who ever existed. “What a place! What a situation! What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.” - Going Postal, Terry Pratchett 2004

@syeduddin9641

Жыл бұрын

"What Duck?'

Two of my favorite authors for all around writing ability are Guy Gavriel Kay and China Mieville. The thought that goes into everything they both write, down to the words chosen, how they go together, and all the way up to the world and plot building, all perfect.

@craigexsted6530

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for mentioning these other two authors ! It would appear I’ve missed out on these great authors until now ? Thanks kindly Craig

I'm immersion reading The Sandman Graphic Novel right now and it's genuinely incredible. Can't wait for Act 4 of The Sandman 🤌✌️

@abadyr_

Жыл бұрын

What's the difference between "reading" and "immersion reading"?

@garypoisson2733

Жыл бұрын

@Johan Joseph, could you please define immersion reading for me? I've got a guess, but I'd like to hear it. I'm not super-fond of the Audible Presentation of Sandman, but there are some inspired casting choices. I'm astonished how much it made me want Kat Dennings as Death in the Netflix series, and James McAvoy kills it as Dream. ...Darn. I should have said Kat Dennings kills it as Death. That would have been cooler.

@12Chris6

Жыл бұрын

@@garypoisson2733 You still got that pun in!

@johanjoseph4802

Жыл бұрын

@@garypoisson2733 basically. I read the book physically. And listen to the audiobook on my phone simultaneously. I treat the written word in the books as Subtitles 💚

Rothfuss is amazing at how he writes, I was so hooked when I read the kingkiller chronicles

Name of the Wind is my favorite fantasy novel of all time. The prose, the pacing, the lore and world building. Nothing overstayed it’s welcome. I was fully immersed. Patrick can describe Kvothe staring at a wall for an entire chapter and I’ll be on the edge of my seat. I don’t believe he will finish book 3 though. Hence why I’m reading Mistborn for the first time and wow! So good.

@cugelchannel4733

Жыл бұрын

I thought it was a great novel, I loved book 1 & 2. Until I went online and realized that Book 3 will never be written. He hasn't made any progress towards completing his novel in 10 years according to his editor who publicly says she never expects to receive it. People should understand this before they start reading the novel! You will NEVER know what happens! It's like unsatisfying sex! Great start, but no finish!

@BB-ck7xe

Жыл бұрын

Same - really enjoyed the first 2 books (as well as Slow Regard), but at this point I’m really not sure I could recommend the series to anyone because I’m really not sure he’ll finish the story. Breaks my heart to say that. It’s not even so much that I think he won’t finish book 3 - I’m sure he will at some point - it’s more that books 1 and 2 hint at enough material and mystery to go waaaaaaay beyond just one more book, and I’ll be profoundly disappointed if he wraps it all up in DoS. Honestly though, what are the chances of getting the larger series this deserves if it’s taking over a decade per book? I don’t have that many decades left!

@cugelchannel4733

Жыл бұрын

@@BB-ck7xe It's like George RR Martin never finishing Song of Ice and Fire because he wrote himself into a corner. Kvothe's story is so dark. He obviously cursed himself, and he's telling his own story as an old man who has failed in life and is waiting for death. He's lost his magic, he gets beaten by simple bandits. The way the story must go is clear, but what exactly happens? Is there a redemption arc for Kvothe? Will he get it together in the end? I just have zero expectations. Wise Man's Fear was published in 2011, 12 years ago. If you can't finish a novel in 12 years its never gonna happen!

@ramspencer5492

5 ай бұрын

Have you read The Will Of Many yet? If you like name of the wind... I'm pretty sure you would like it!

I would add Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast as a contender for best language in any fantasy novels. The way he revels in, and plays with, words is a joy to read!

@StoicTheGeek

13 күн бұрын

Absolute crime that Peake is not on this list. I mean, picking a line at random “He is climbing the spiral staircase of the soul of Gormenghast, bound for some pinnacle of itching fancy - some wild invulnerable eyrie best known to himself; where he can watch the world spread out below him, and sake exultantly his clotted wings”

I love this video! I appreciate you bringing attention to prose, without which there would not be any books and, while often unnoticed, is at the core of how we experience a written story. I also think you came up with an excellent list here -- you mention most of the authors I would highlight as having exemplary prose, though I would include Ursula Le Guin. Susanna Clarke actually has published a short story collection in addition to Piranesi and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Thank you for this excellent video, Merphy!

@IndiaTides

Жыл бұрын

I read books but I cannot distinguish between quality of prose. I guess third language makes it hard.

Loved the list, which mostly overlaps with my own. There's two missing: Ursula K. Le Guin and Gene Wolfe. Le Guin is incredible at communicating complex ideas and characters in just a few words. Left Hand of Darkness is a masterpiece, entertaining, thought provoking, and brilliantly written. Wolfe's ability to put you in an unusual narrator's mind in a world nothing like our own and make that feel natural is maybe better than any author I've ever read in any genre (with maybe the exception of Kazuo Ishiguro). He's written many masterpieces but the best balance between accessibility and amazing writing and ideas is the Latro of the Mist series. Warning on Wolfe: many of his narrators and worlds are misogynist to varying degrees. It makes sense narratively (for instance, a teenage boy who's only met women he's about to torture is not likely to be a feminist), but your mileage may vary on how much of that you can tolerate.

I loved this video so much you included so many authors I love and immediately thought of when I saw this video. The only authors not mentioned that I instantly thought of were Ursula K. Le Guin and Roger Zelazny.

Made me very happy to see liveship traders series included! I love a character driven stories and she is truly masterful at it. One of my favorite series, she wrote the characters so well that I binged these books in a couple weeks.

Two authors that you did not mention but fit all of your criteria for great writing are Ursula K Le Guin and Lois McMaster Bujold. From word choice to overall themes and everything in between they are masters of their craft.

Solid list Merphy!!! HELL YEAH ONE❤PIECE!!!

Pratchett was an absolutely master of language. My favorite Pratchett book is a lesser known, non-discworld book called Dodger. He can describe a London sewer and make it a place of wonder and magic. Beautiful!

@dajtoad1

Жыл бұрын

I was really not keen on that one. It was interesting for a while, but no character drew me in and I got bored. It would not make my re-read list (which consists of almost every other of his works!)

Wowwww! I loved your passion and enthusiasm for these authors! So many new books added to my TBR!! Thank you so much! There are some books that I've read, and thought some of these things, but you say it in such a beautiful, articulate way!! Thank you!

As a language enthusiast, I usually tend to fall for good writing much more than the plot. A skillful manipulation of language always gets me giggling like children. One of my earliest linguistic crushes was the hitchhiker's guide to galaxy. I never cared how the story went as long as there was more to read. Other interesting authors to me are Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, Albert camas, and most recently, Joe abercrombie. the first law series really drew me in

@InWeCome

Жыл бұрын

I'm a slow reader, i always read in English and it's not my first language. I'm not sure what it is about First Law and Abercrombie but it was one of my fastest reads. If you like language you should try Pratchett for his wordplay and Rothfuss for his ability to make a whole book come alive by subtly weaving words like a poem. Like Merphy i loved the story in Name of the Wind and the second book not as much, but i do still appreciate the writing style.

@reynardthefox9072

Жыл бұрын

@@InWeCome hi, thanks. I'm a pro translator and English is my 4th language. It's also my most used language both for work and pleasure. Pratchett and Rothfuss are on definitely on my TBR list.

@remzzo

Жыл бұрын

“The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't.”

@NickHunter

Жыл бұрын

@@remzzo Hahah what a headfuck! I thought this was a Pratchettism initially

Definitely adding Ken Liu to my TBR-sounds like someone who does exactly why I love shortform fiction(Because I think people who create great/incredible shortform just have an especially extra-impressive kinda skill - to be able to do the same exact things as longform fiction, but in so much less time than you'd ever expect to be possible)! Thanks!

This is one of the first videos I’ve seen from you, and honestly you have a way with words yourself! Listening to you talk and describe these authors’ styles got me so hype to read from them someday and eventually try my hand at writing as well. Thank you for sharing! Definitely adding these to my tbr ! 😊

I bumped into your channel recently, I can't stop watching your videos.

I love that you mixed it up with this one! I get bored with some fantasy channels so this shi is great!

I would definitely have Ursula K Le Guin on this list. She has an amazing grasp of language (every word has its purpose), her world feels alive, and the characters are so very real. I would also include Diana Wynne Jones for similar reasons, though she is more descriptive than Le Guin

21:55 Ursula k. Leguin, she writes stories that feel lived in, with mundane aspects left, in world building that feels lived in and she definitely has something to say. So that would be my recommendation

Always great to learn of new books/authors! Thanks!

I will always die on this hill. Ursula K Leguin, specifically her Earthsea Cycle. Similar to Rothfuss, she builds a world where the legend hardly ever matches the brutal reality. She does so well at chronicling a young wizard's life on his way to becoming a Gandalf-like character. In doing so, she creates a context in which you can imagine the small, sometimes mundane accomplishments can be retold in stories of legend as much more grand and epic. She also does really well in making magic a rare and valuable commodity. Something that is expected in the world, incredibly necessary for the world to function, yet limited in resources. It keeps you on edge as you never know how long the magic will last, so no character has plot armor. It was also one of the most OG magic systems that would influence so many future stories, including those of Rothfuss and George RR Martin (and though she'll never admit it, Rowling). The protagonist goes through the wringer in such a way that is very relatable. She forgoes the typical "chosen one" and creates a character that can resonate with young readers in such a powerful way: your mistakes can make you a better person if you are willing to learn from them. The books are meant for kids/young adults but I couldn't recommend it enough. Specifically "A Wizard of Earthsea" and "The Tombs of Atuan" are embedded into my brain. She also was first up to bat on the idea of a SCHOOL OF WIZARDRY and should be recognized for the concept that came decades before Harry Potter.

@gabrielebuonocore2896

Жыл бұрын

when the sequel to the Tombs of Atuan revealed to follow the story of an older Ged I felt so cheated out on what could’ve been his journey that I dropped it, but the impact the first two books had on me is hardly forgettable

@CatastrophicDisease

Жыл бұрын

Rothfuss is a lightweight compared to Le Guin. Honestly, Erikson and Tolkien are the only fantasy authors I have read that come close to her skill.

@josephtiseo3303

Жыл бұрын

You won't die alone on that hill. Best written books ever

@k.coleman9317

11 ай бұрын

Earthsea reads so easily...and then...for those who stop and ponder...and go back...you start to sense the depths...I'm in my mid-50'sand read the first three yearly...

@Scottlp2

6 ай бұрын

Earth sea was great (least 1st 4). If you read carefully I think it is 1st and 3rd books that have a coupla sentences of real world wisedom.

1. Guy 2. Gavriel 3. Kay Poignant without being purple, strong without being strident. Memorable in the mind without lingering on the page count. I measure all fantasy prose against Tigana. Bonus: Terry Pratchett. The only fantasy author I recommend to people who don't like fantasy. Bonus bonus: Tolkien. The dude knew his Saxon poetry enough to make his own.

@merphynapier42

Жыл бұрын

I’ll look into your Rec! Preachett and Tolkien are on my list 😊

@gary2991

Жыл бұрын

I scrolled to find this comment. Absolutely Guy Gavriel Kay if you value prose. Tigana is a great place to start.

Thanks Merphy! This is a video I’ve wanted for a long time, as I prefer reading fantasy that’s really well written. Great list!

This is a great list. I might go as far as to say Steven Erikson is one of the best authors ever, in fantasy or otherwise. Malazan is such an outstanding artistic achievement, and I'm amazed at how quickly he wrote it. Two other authors I'd add are Ursula K. Le Guin and Gene Wolfe. A Wizard of Earthsea manages to be such a vast sprawling adventure packed with mature themes and gorgeous prose, all in such a short page count. It continues to impress me. As for Gene Wolfe, I read Shadow of the Torturer recently and if I fully expressed my love for it in this comment, I'll never stop writing it. I don't think I've ever seen such synergy between prose, themes and world building as I have with Book of the New Sun. It all comes together so beautifully. Gene Wolfe was on a level of his own.

@dillon1037

Жыл бұрын

Le Guin is probably my all time favorite. I've been meaning to read Wolfe's New Sun due to a lot of folks saying it was a likely Malazan influence but I almost don't want to not have it to look forward to.

@jarltrippin

Жыл бұрын

@@dillon1037 The entirety of Book of the New Sun is about the size of the biggest Malazan novel. In spite of that, I've heard it said that it's even more complex. After reading the first book, I don't think I can argue. It and Malazan are extremely different, but I would not be surprised if it was an influence on Steven Erikson. I know he's been more influenced by sci-fi than fantasy, so it's pretty likely. Anyway, I hope you pick it up. Fans of Malazan tend to enjoy Book of the New Sun and vice versa.

@MetakJesu07

Жыл бұрын

I agree wholeheartedly. I've read a lot of books in general, but Erikson is one of the most complete writers in terms of all aspects of a story. His characters, plots & worldbuilding are simply among the best. When I think of the books that have made me laugh the most, engaged me the most in terms of action, surprised me the most with their plot, generated the most heartfelt emotions, he has an entry in every category.

@dillon1037

Жыл бұрын

@@MetakJesu07 Malazan was the first series I got as immersed in as an adult as I used to get reading books like His Dark Materials as a kid.

@kingcynic5669

Жыл бұрын

Totally agree about Ursula Le Guin Earthsea but, despite my best intentions I just could not get into Shadow of the Torturer, even though I really wanted to. Will have to give it another crack at some point.

My criteria would be what you said about a world existing. It should feel like a world is happening. And I'm so glad Hobb and Erikson made this list! I'd add Ursula le Guin here and Gene Wolfe. Ursula would make you pulse with the characters and the world. Poetic writing at its finest. Gene Wolfe will make you feel that a Universe is happening, and that our main POV's story is just a tiny part of that. He also has excellent prose.

When you brought up One Piece, I think you neglected to mention how much more impressive Oda is since he doesn't get to submit a finished work for editing before publishing. He dishes out work on a weekly basis and has to fit everything with what was previously published. Also, he has to be both an artist and a writer.

@Naija_Ninja

Жыл бұрын

That's actually a very good point people don't consider as often. Weekly chapter realises is a crazy disadvantage to telling a coherent and consistent story compared to book volume releases, especially a story as expansive as One piece. It's actually an incredibly terrifying way to tell a story if you think about it.

@royalfun1031

Жыл бұрын

​@@Naija_Ninja tru

@royalfun1031

Жыл бұрын

A guy like me could never

@RaspberryAnthem

Жыл бұрын

That's true but I'm sure he must have an outline or plan of some sort for how the story will progress. Still impressive though.

@Naija_Ninja

Жыл бұрын

But for real tho, why don't mangaka ever go the volume release path? Is it simply because of the market and that being part of a weekly/monthly magazine is just much better and pretty much unavoidable for any manga that hopes to get relevance or is there some advantage to doing it that I can't think of. Because even indie manga authors (from what I've seen) seem to tend to chapter releases

I loved loved loved your list ! So many women ❤️ It's really nice to see them succeed in fantasy.

you are now my go to if i ever need a new read. that was so relatable. it is almost creepy how much this aligned with my experience...

Thanks - great video and excited to read some of the authors I didn't know

I'll have to watch this another time. But THANK YOU for acknowledging that a book can be well written, while not necessarily being something you enjoyed. And vice versa. You can enjoy a book while at the same time acknowledging it's not the best written thing out there. It drives me crazy when people can't or won't do that.

Agreed with Hobb. This paragraph below from Fool’s Fate absolutely gets me every time. So emotional, so beautiful…I think about it a lot. (Not really a spoiler but if you don’t want to read anything from fools fate then don’t read on) “I kissed the top of his head gently. ‘Go to sleep, Fool,’ I told him gruffly. ‘I’m here. I’ll take care of you.’ His hands came up between us and I feared he would push me away. Instead, he clutched the front of my shirt and clung tightly to me. All that night, I cradled him in my arms, as closely as if he were my child or my lover. As closely as if he were my self, wounded and alone. I held him while he wept, and I held him after his weeping was done. I let him take whatever comfort he could in the warmth and strength of my body. I have never felt less of a man that I did so.”

@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD

Жыл бұрын

😭😭😭😭 oh I was SOBBING at that scene!!

Thx Merph, been wanting to get back into (real) books so I appreciate these recommendations.

I loved the nature shots!

I was so hoping you'd mention Megan Whalen Turner! Her Queen's Thief series, to me, is the most perfectly crafted fantasy series I've ever come across. I feel like I could talk about what I love about it for hours, but for the sake of brevity I'll call out my favourite thing about her writing is that she only tells the audience exactly, and no more, than they absolutely have to know. As a consequence, every single word has this incredible weight to it that makes me want to deconstruct the layers of meaning behind everything. An incredibly subtle series, that pays off so incredibly satitisfyingly at the end of each book and then again overall as the series draws to a close in book 6. Fair warning, The Thief (book 1) is written for a slightly younger audience so bear with it through that (still incredible though).

@undyingsaltedfish753

Жыл бұрын

*gasp! a fellow Queen's Thief fan in the wild! the way she's taught her audience to be wary of Unreliable Narrators is *chef's kiss. I just love the world. and the characters are people to me. stayed throughout the 20+ year waiting game but so worth. So so worth. Be blessed in your endevours

Yasss so glad Pratchett made your list ❤

So so so so glad that Susanna Clarke made the list!

Really love this video! Rothfuss in particular has been my go-to when recommending books with wonderful and poetic prose, it stands out so much more than others to me even when authors like Jemisin or Erikson can cut straight through me with the most simple-seeming lines. I had a completely different reaction to The Wise Mans Fear than you did in your review video, and I think a lot of it might come from the fact I had to wait a couple of years between books and really dug into all of the theories and themes, so that when book two finally came out it was just a Connectstravaganza and great getting so much more to dig into. Going from book one to two one after the other I can definitely see how pointless and tropey and cringe a lot could come off as, but I had so much faith in Rothfuss after spending years recommending and rereading book one with friends and noticing all these little details, that I was constantly getting excited at things even through the most aimless-seeming sections. Spoilers for the Kingkiller Chronicles if anyone reading this hasn't gotten into them yet: An example would be from the magic sex-fairy Felurian section, the whole thing hit so different for me from the fact his first really Impressive 'storybook' bit of magic, when he broke free of her initial magic after her sexual assault of him, the willpower was built from all of his trauma on the streets of Tarbean and how he must have had that particular awful thing happen then and been powerless at the time, it all felt from then and through the whole fae section that Kvothe had regressed a bit and was using all his charm and skills to essentially use her and the situation in a lot more jaded way than he portrays as the storyteller. The prose there was gorgeous as well when they're speaking in verse almost every time they converse, and all of the fairy-tale imagery with the shadow cloak sewn with moonlight and so on. Another part would be all of the Maer section with the Lackless history and us learning that he's the Lackless heir and Meluan is his aunt, and the motivation of her hatred of the Edema Ruh (at least as how Kvothe is telling the story, who knows if he's creating this history for himself or not.) Or learning to fight from the Adem not just being an "oh cool so the hero learns to be a super-fighter, great," but a deliberate step the Ctheah influenced him into, so that he can continue on - as I think Bast put it - 'like an arrow shot into the future' or a plague ship, and be able to kill the king or potentially one or more Chandrian, and be able to cause all the catastrophe he seems to have caused in the Frame story. And even that the Ctheah might be Selitos from the story in the first book, the distinct smell of the wood on the tree the Ctheah is in matching the smell on the Lackless box, which sounds like it could have something like rock or glass shifting inside, that description only being used one other time - in the Selitos story where he picks up a chunk of glass-like rock and gouges his eye out to free himself from Lanre's power, who we know becomes Haliax. So now there's a huge motivation for the Ctheah to want an agent like Kvothe out there deliberately against the Chandrian etc. Even all the wonderful asides with his friends have plot relevance and huge reveals hidden among them sometimes. In the story where they're sprawled out drunk and his friends ask about Kvothe's mom making his dad sleep under the wagon, Kvothe tells a nice little story explaining that it was because of the awful writing of a song he made for her, when really the final line is one of the biggest hints at her identity and the potential overarching plot of the whole story: Dark Laurian, Arliden's wife, Has a face like a blade of a knife Has a voice like a prickledown burr But can tally a sum like a moneylender. My sweet Tally cannot cook. But she keeps a tidy ledger-book For all her faults I do confess It's worth my life To make my wife Not tally a lot less Which while seeming like nonsense is a huge deal, that final line - not tally a lot less = Netalia Lackless. And all of this is told in such a beautiful way, you can dig in or just enjoy the story Kvothe is telling. TL;DR - Really love me some Rothfuss, his gorgeous prose is the icing on top of a story with so many more layers than you'd expect on first, second or even third read, lol.

@garypoisson2733

Жыл бұрын

@Ariectus A-GREED. It's a shame the series will never be completed. Happy 12th birthday, "A Wise Man's Fear"!

@pernilla-goth

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this! I loved both books but the Felurian section bugged me so much that it unfortunately ruined a bit of Wise Man's Fear for me. I still kind of hate it but this comment has saved the book at least just a little bit.

@Snakestube

Жыл бұрын

Best book the world

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel has to be one of my absolute favourite fantasy novels. I was daunted by the length of the book at first, but I was actually sad when I finished and wanted it to continue.

@hunterkat

Жыл бұрын

I liked it a lot, I felt like some of the beginning could’ve been trimmed a little but the ending is absolutely amazing. I really enjoyed Piranesi, I think I like her shorter books better lol.

Seeing Ken Liu here was a pleasant surprise, I just started reading the Paper Menagerie collection and it's so fascinating and wonderful. I'm looking forward to starting the Dandelion Dynasty soon.

Funny that the Pratchett book you showed was Guards, Guards because I'm literally right smack in the middle of reading that for the first time. Going Postal and Small Gods are two of my all-time favs. Just brilliant.

Another good video, Nerphy 👍

I'm currently reading Name of the Wind and I'm LOVING his prose

@12Chris6

Жыл бұрын

Congratulations & we're sorry. I just barely read it about a year ago and loved it. I didn't know that fandom has been waiting so long for the 3rd book. I have just started learning about their pain.

@thatsci-firogue

Жыл бұрын

@@12Chris6 an incomplete series doesn't bother me whatsoever.

@stevenseufert2520

Жыл бұрын

A friend of mine described Rothfuss "a man who paints with words." And I agree.

This is a fabulous list! And I love your enthusiasm! Octavia E. Butler is a mega fave of mine, even when she makes me want to throw a book (mumblesfledglingmubles) against a wall.

Prachett is my favorite author. Followed you when you started one piece, and excited you started the watch series! My favorite series in discworld second is Death's series

I've started to read the Lord of the rings abit very slowly and the story is amazing and makes me wanna learn everything about it.

Great Video!

One of my favourite prose writers is Guy Gavriel Kay. The only work of Ken Liu I've read was Grace of Kings which handles 3rd person omniscient very well and can't wait to continue the Dandelion Dynasty

Three authors I'd suggest for this list: Glen Cook, Joe Abercrombie, and Guy Gavriel Kay. -Glen Cook. The Black Company isn't written with fancy propose, but it is shockingly engaging. With all the stories being annals written by the characters, he manages to tell the story of what's happening and also fold the story of the in-universe writer's experience into it almost invisibly. It's an excellent execution. Big events being glossed over, despite their importance, because Croaker only heard about them second hand is pulled off incredibly well. The scale of the powers at play and how small the cast is in comparison drips off every page. He also does a great job of capturing the experience of a soldier at war. The most impressive part is how different the series feels for the books where other characters took over writing the annals. Many things you may start off ascribing to Glen Cook as his traits as a writer turn out to only be in-universe artefact of author bias which adds so many layers. -Joe Abercrombie. No one pulls off character voice like Joe. Not just in dialogue, though his dialogue is incredible. Every line of description feels so authentically communicated from the character perspective that the prose (intentionally) is always very visible. It's not "pretty", but the technical skill involved is extremely impressive! -Guy Gavriel Kay. Guy has some of the most beautiful prose I've ever read. At times, it's difficult to really make the claim that it isn't poetry. The structure and themes of Tigana, in particular, are so presented rigorously perfect I can hardly imagine it improved in any meaningful way. From the very beginning, there's no missing the romantic, mythological quality to every part of the book.

@flixization

Жыл бұрын

Guy Gavriel Kay is on another level with his prose. Passages from Tigana haunted me and even found their way into my dreams. Criminally underrated author.

@dcaf94

Жыл бұрын

Cook is so underrated when it comes to the actual mechanics of writing. I see lots of people nowadays dump on him because he doesn't flesh his world out like RJ or GRRM or Sanderson, but his economy of words is incredible. (And, when he really wants to, he is totally capable of nailing you with some gorgeous prose-just look at the glittering plain sequences in the back half of the series.) As a fan of Abercrombie-and character voice-you should check out Matthew Stover. He's the GOAT of that style of reality in characters, if that makes sense. He was also Lynch's mentor, and Lynch has said that he learned basically everything he knows about humor in a grim setting from Stover.

@yoel-eh5yz

Жыл бұрын

Go count how many chapters in first law start with introducing the weather.

@RobertLaTuso

11 ай бұрын

“The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant” series by Stephen Donaldson is a very underrated Fantasy trilogy

I have 3 authors that collectively occupy the top tier, and one a half step down from them but definitively better than the rest: Tolkien (obv, also shout out The Hobbit for being the best book to read to a child, I read it to my students sometimes and you can just feel them settle into it and feel your bond grow, it's amazing) Gene Wolfe - the Book of the New Sun is so perfectly and deliberately crafted it feels like every word is chosen with intent and like if any sentence was moved it would be lesser for it, Ursula K Le Guin - I've only read The Left Hand of Darkness so far but it's just so smart, her command of language is incredible she weaves the most believable world I maybe have ever read (alongside middle earth) with a culture that is so alien and based on a premise that would get super preachy in the hands of literally any author, it's so considered and well written I feel compelled to make sure I read a book or two by her every year including every essay she's ever written as well. the half step down is Guy Gavriel Kay but mostly only because I've only read Lions of Al Rassan so far and I would like to see how he handles other settings and ideas (a huge testament to how evident Le Guin's skill was with LHoD that she's already immediately in the top spot after one book and one essay)

I just wanted to comment to say I recently started reading The Lies of Locke Lamora because of you, I'm 330 pages in and I already love everything about it and its already my favourite fantasy book ever (granted I'm still fairly new to fantasy so that could definitely change in the future) just on how good it's been so far I already completely trust any and all of your recommendations without question 😅😅

I will say I love short form fiction. I do feel like if an author can manage to craft a beautiful short story that makes a impact I am almost more impressed then a long novel because they were working with less space and still managed to say something important. Its one of the things I love about Ray Bradbury. I feel like his short stories are sometimes his longer works. Martian Chronicles has some really wonderful impactful stories

I really connect to what you said about Robin Hobb, I recently finished Assassin’s Quest, and around page 400 I was thinking: nothing yet happened in the book but I’m loving it. That doesn’t usually happen to me on long books

My entire top ten list would be Ursula K. Le Guin tbh

YES KEN LIU I've never seen a writer that writes books as long as he does (with Dandelion Dynasty at least) without one line seeming unnecessary. Not only do his short stories seem concise, but his long-form work also does too! It's incredible

Love your picks, especially Pratchett! If you like Susanna Clarke, I think you should give Sean Russell a try. He wrote three duologies (already a unique choice!) that are beautiful, emotional, soft magic stories with fully-realized characters. Initiate Brother/Gatherer of Clouds, World Without End/Sea Without a Shore, Beneath the Vaulted Hills/Compass of the Soul. Give them a try! Three other suggestions for unique voices are Connie Willis, Steven Brust, and Roger Zelazny.

The two best written fantasy I have read are Piranesi and Ten Thousand Doors of January. So glad you've read Piranesi! These are both masterfully written! I wish I was better with words like you so that I could describe to you why, but honestly, I am so desperate for you to read Ten Thousand Doors! Bookborn absolutely loved it too!! And I was sooooo happy to see them pretty high on the reddit best fantasy list.

@mollygraham1249

Жыл бұрын

Ten Thousand Doors of January is one of my favorites too.

Shoutout to Senor Pink, greatest henchman backstory ever!

Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf is so impressive how it illustrates the setting and tone that I am immediately transported to the world and am constantly on the edge of my seat. Highly recommend even though only 2 books are out!

Guy Gavriel Kay is an author I put off reading for literal decades because he was unfairly described as a Tolkien knock-off in some articles I read back in th late 90's, but when I finally decided to try one of his novels a few years ago I was so impressed with his writing that I read all his books in a couple of weeks. IMO, he's one of the best contemporary fantasy writers out there and he's usually ignored by most people, which is a shame because his worst book is easily as good as most fantasy authors' best books, and he has a very literary style of writing that tended to remind me of Latin American Magical Realism instead of straight up Fantasy. I'm kind of annoyed at myself for not having read him before, but I'm also kind of glad I put it off for so long because I feel that my accumulated life and reading experience made me appreciate what he does in his novels even more. I do agree that his first published story, the Fionnavar Tapestry trilogy, is his weakest and the most Tolkien-esque. Most of his later novels are far better than that trilogy (and that trilogy is still pretty solid) and are more accurately described as character-driven historical works of fiction set in alternate worlds loosely inspired by real world historical events and places, with a dash of magic or the supernatural thrown into the mix. Plus, all his novels exist in the same multiverse, and many of them are even set in the same world, even if they're set in drastically different places and/or moments in that world's history, spanning analogues of Europe and Asia, and the Middle Ages, the Byzantine Empire-era and the Rennaisance.

I know it's more of an old head fantasy fan pick, and I may be biased since it is one of my first fantasy books I plucked off my dads shelf and reread many times, but I love how the Chronicles of Amber are written. The sort of irreverent tone Zelazny uses is so fun to read, especially in the Merlin cycle, when he has matured as an author. The Merlin cycle still gets plenty of laughs from me when I read it. Another thing I love about Zelazny is the trademark old school fantasy weirdness he has. So much of the fun of classic fantasy for me is the weird factor, and Zelazny has it

@stephenbarrett8861

Жыл бұрын

Lord of Light?

Watching this extoll the virtues some of my favorite writers, and then seeing others come out in comments, and just bathing in the joy and all the positives is really healing right now. Plus, my older daughter is currently loving One Piece, and thinks she doesn't like fantasy and this ties her right in with the rest of us. It also confirms that I need to read Malazan and Robin Hobb. I enjoy the rationale behind what makes good prose. I couldn't have told you why I enjoy Jemisin or Rothfuss, and now want to re-read them to see if I agree.

I don't think any list of well-written fantasy is complete without Mervyn Peake. The world and the characters in Titus Groan are so vividly drawn that they just pop off the page, I don't think I've ever come across anything quite like it. He really doesn't get enough attention, even though Titus Groan is an absolute fantasy classic and was heavily influential for New Weird writers like China Mieville (another writer with amazing prose who also deserves to be on a list like this one).

Ken Lui's Dandelion Dynasty is amazing. It is an Epic that stands along side the best in the Genre - AND it has an ending.

The paper menagerie's titular story is among the best fiction I have read. I hope you will review that story soon. I still don't understand how that story was able to make me bawl my eyes out in so few words. All his short stories are amazing but this one was special for me.

When I picked up Name of the Wind, I had not read any fantasy in 15 years, LOTR being the last books I read. I was stunned at how a fantasy author could write so beautifully. That book is the reason I am such a huge fantasy reader today

Great list, great video. My own list would include Ursula LeGuin, Gene Wolfe, Ted Chiang, and Kelly Link. The last two write only short fiction, or at least, have yet to publish a novel.

Neil Gaiman is definitely at the top of my list. And particularly when you listen to the audiobooks that he narrates himself. His love of words comes through so esthetically and powerfully in how he gives every syllable a caring and intentional nuance.

@reginaldforthright805

Жыл бұрын

Neil gay man. Truth in advertising.

@kadamowicz68

Жыл бұрын

I do not get on with his writing.🙁

@kadamowicz68

Жыл бұрын

@@reginaldforthright805 wow. That’s an utterly inappropriate comment. It’s 2023

This was a great video!!! I love how you provided the differences between the authors and what make them standout. The only author I would suggest, with my minimal background of avidly reading, is R. Scott Bakker. However, I think I may have heard somewhere that you wouldn't like his content. Again, excellent video.

Great list of authors! I would add Guy Gavriel Kay and the artist Wayne Barlowe. Kay goes off on beautiful tangents but everything gets tied together by the end. Wayne Barlowe wrote two books, God's Demon and the Heart of Hell, and his prose is just as fascinating as his paintings. Stephen King's best-written book was The Dark Tower: Wizards and Glass, it was so enjoyable and made me just want to hear stories from Roland's world.

Love, appreciate and agree with your list wanted to add Peter Newman and The Vagrant prose are on par with Erickson and the Malazan series while the world building and character archs are intriguing and unique.

Patricia McKillip is a favorite writer when it comes to style. And the Riddlemaster of Hed trilogy is just great.

When you aren’t thinking about having a good the writing is, and instead inside the story, that’s when you know it’s good

There's also an animated show called Pantheon based on some of Ken Liu's work! Its second season has been cancelled, but since it's reportedly completed production already I still have a little hope they will find a way to release it.

@_anansi_

Жыл бұрын

I loved S01 ❤

Robin Hobb can bring to life a world like no other author through her characters. It's truly amazing and makes what would otherwise be "slow" reading extremely enjoyable.

@C0SSTY

9 ай бұрын

This is subjective. I agree that Liveship traders is well written, but I still didn't like it. Throughout all 3 books, mostly the last 2, there is a romantic relationship between a 13-year-old girl and ±22-year-old guy. I think it was in the second book, or start of the 3rd one, where a woman gets raped, and it is basically the classic “for a woman to get stronger, she needs to be raped” trope. Then in the 3rd book there is a really graphic rape scene, and victim blaming and gaslighting after that was some of the worst I have seen in my life. The worst thing is, this whole thing was unnecessary in my opinion, it was used to develop the other character, but we already knew what kind of guy he was and that he raped women too. This was my first series from Robin Hobb, but I'm not really excited to read more from her.

It’s a war crime that Ursula K. Le Guin isn’t on here.

I would definitely agree with Jemisin, Butler, Gaiman. I would also add Ursula K. Le Guin.

Uuuggggghhhhh....my book list. So many great recommendations.

Loved the Live Ships, maybe the most magical world I’ve ever entered. The nest trilogy in the same world is pretty good as well. Very talented author.

A wizard of Earthsea, The Master and Margarita, The hobbit, Don Quichotte, The road, ...

I am SOOOO looking forward to the review on Dawn. Those are the first books of hers that I read. I actually really liked them, but it's Butler, so ufffff still so hard.

I've read the Paper Menagerie recently-ish and I really loved it! I also read part of his Dandelion Dynasty and it was amazing so far, and I especially loved the way he weaved historical events from Chinese history into it! Personally I rarely care about the writing, apart from accessibility, because English is not my first language so I just wanted to understand what was going on😅

I sincerely hope more fantasy readers discover Mervyn Peake, specifically his Gormenghast novels. That would be my suggestion

I know I'm going to be ALONE on this hill but, one of my favorite fantasies and that I consider to be incredibly well written is The Dark Tower by Stephen King. The characters are amazing, they bring suspense, humor, action, excitement, anger... a broad spectrum of feelings, specially since The Drawing Of The Three. The plot it's pretty simple: get to The Dark Tower. So many amazing things happen during that journey though; you meet creatures, cultures, technology, characters from other King novels, places or objects from other authors and even cinema references, and it all works! He's even able to make a flashback one of the most compelling stores you'll ever read on Wizard And Glass. When Roland or any other character says "the world has moved on" you can actually feel and see what they mean. Hell, I LOVED the story on The Wind Through The Keyhole. Just a fantastic saga in my opinion, specially for a writer primarily considered a horror author.

@student76543

Жыл бұрын

I was not expecting to find this here (but it's pleasant surprise). I think the issue with the Dark Tower series in general is that it has its highs and lows. The later parts of the series in particular often feel tacked-on and have strong "oh shit I need to finish this gigantic series I started or the fans will kill me" energy. While not outright bad, quite a lot of it is nothing special. With that said, "Three", and "The Waste Lands" are King's best works period. The only thing that comes remotely close is "The Shining". "Wizard and Glass" I personally do agree with you and loved it, though I wouldn't blame anyone for not liking it quite as much.

wait... blanderson isnt on this list?! thank GAWD! *dramatic collapse of relief* lol ;)

@masonguthrie1257

Жыл бұрын

Makes sense considering this is focused on pros. Though personally I don’t find anything wrong with Sanderson’s pros but I understand why people who care about such things would not put him on a list like this lol

fyi, the first book of Ken Liu’s serie (Dandelion Dynasty) is good like the first arc och hxh is, but the second book is the chimera ant arc of the the Dandelion Dynasty, so don’t expect too much from the first book. the second book makes it all worth while! love your content❤️

@merphynapier42

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the heads up!

I would really like to recommend Gene Wolf for you. He is a bit like Steve Ericsson in a way of not explaining anything, poetic, philosophical and very interesting characters. He get so much done in few words. He writes in a very calm and beautiful way like Tolkien. And the feeling of some big things are happening in the background. Like Terry Pratchett in the way that he writes alot of weird shit that some how make sense haha. And a bit how he play with words. I read "Book of the new sun" a year ago and I can't stop think about it and keeps getting better somehow over time. Great list you had, cheers!

Just started Piranesi today actually - he's just remembering the Albatros family that he named the year for. I see what you mean, this mansion world is something else and raises many questions, and if there's only two people trying to figure this out it feels like I'm going to be enjoying the questioning more then the answering, so having the prose quality this has is very important.

Short stories have never worked for me, until I found Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant. I'm truly blow away by her writing. Every word is thought out and written with such intent. I honestly haven't read much of the books you've spoken about today, so I don't know if you would feel the same, but I have never found a short story collection like the wayward children series that just hit me in the best way.

I can’t wait to read The Fifth Season this year! 😊

Ray Bradbury is the master of prose

Ursula LeGuin and R Scott Bakker are as good if not better than almost everyone on this list. If you haven’t read anything by them I recommend trying them out.

@josephtiseo3303

Жыл бұрын

Ursula LeGuin is the only author that I finished one book and committed to reading everything I could.

@dannyboi7877

11 ай бұрын

Yeah Ursula k le guin not being on this list is criminal. Has she read any?

John C. Wright is a sci-fi/fantasy author I can't recommend enough. Of his fiction, I've only read Awake in the Nightland and most of City Beyond Time so far, but his writing is beautiful! I'm looking forward to reading more from him soon.

I recommend Mervyn Peake! Titus Groan and Gormenghast. The language is dense and wonderful, the world weird, monumental, vivid: if you want to sink into a book and pull it over your head Peake is peerless.

Bloodchild (Octavia Butler) is one of my all time favorite short stories. Very creepy and believable. Ken Liu has some heartbreaking short fiction as well.