I have my copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends within eyeshot. Not surprised it made the list.

The Harry Potter books are decent enough, but clearly do not fit within the SF genre. Three Body Problem was dire - I actually wondered if a 13-year old had written it (and don't tell me that's because it was a translation). I haven't read Ender's Game but saw the movie recently and it was ....meh! Surely that must be a children's or YA book? Nothing against novels for young people, but maybe there should be a separate award for that? The one book that you include which is on my 'to read' list is Hyperion. I'm looking forward to that one.

Hatchet was great. Left for dead was okay, I read it because it was free.

I read These Silent Woods in 2024 as well! It’s a great book! I really hope to read Sunset and Sawdust this year.

Hard to believe but the one time travel, intelligent, literary series rarely mentioned is Kage Bakers "The Company" series is a completely realized universe featuring a woman rescued as a child from the Inquisition to become a time traveler. (The Garden of Iden is the first book) Superb characters, great romance (through the ages) and as the series progresses the future becomes increasingly ominous.

Thanks for the short book recommendations. I like to add one or two short standalone novels in between larger series. I'm going to add a few of these to my TBR. - Todd

Well...the starless sea is still on my wishlist 😂 Ok..now i have city of thieves on my wishlist....and thank you.. 😑😂lolz. Great, original video ( which you mostly make :D )

How cute is it, that your 8 year old daughter recommends you a book ☺ Haha, what you had with that Robin Hobb book, i had with Piranesi. I just expected too too much from it, that it kind of dissapointed me. From that moment on, i just try to forget the hype around it, or that it is a classic book or something. But i get you there haha ;) I still gave it 4 stars though. One book from this year, which was hyped, but for me just a nope.. not my book, is The kiterunner.

So your number one is kind of a cozy SF book? That does sound good! Great video btw. I am a bit behind with your vids 🙈 Have to catch up some day soon. Have a merry Christmas btw :)

Nice list! Quite a few I don’t know on there. I also read A Long Way…it was unfortunately a miss for me but I totally get the appeal.

Creating my 2025 TBR list and this video couldn't come at a better time. Thanks, Kevin! I think I may check out Nettle & Bone as well as The Little Liar. Of the 10, those seem like they're calling my name. :)

I'll have to try the Roth book. Love "a closed and common orbit". Wow, I've been binging Kingfisher books and that one slipped by me, I'll have to pick it up 😊 not sure if I commented on your minor Mage comment in a previous video but agreed - in comparison to her other books. Still, they're all so good. Great picks 💛✨️

My favourite is The Stranger in the Lifeboat :) but i haven't read your number 1 book. Thanks so much for your recommendation ❤

I love when a book blows me away by complete surprise!! I have heard a lot of good things about Joe Lansdale, and really want to give him a try someday. Maybe I will pick this one to start with... I love Matt Haig, and this is disheartening to hear about The Life Impossible. I haven't gotten to it yet, but am really looking forward to picking it up. I'll have to try and lower expectations.

This was great. Love that you have such eclectic tastes in genres and release date. Alot of book tubers are only focused on newer releases in a specific genre.

Expectation vs reality is such a tough thing in this space. There are a few series that have been so hyped up that when I just find them good and not amazing, it’s a disappointment even though I like them fine! Series such as First Law, The Expanse and Greenbone Saga for example. I go in expecting 10/10 and they are a 7/10 for me and I’m sad!

Dragon's Egg is one I want to read next year.

I hope to read Dragon’s Egg and Sunset and Sawdust next year!! 💕

I think I own the ebook of the girl who drank the moon, I'll have to finally read it next year. oops the first book of disappointments 😱that said my favourite books in the elderling realm come form the live ship traders and the rain wild chronicles. ah, i can understand that for the t kingfisher one, there are so many good ones in her backlist.

This was fantastic!!

I’m very curious to see if I feel the same way about the storm light archive as I go through books 3-5, but I totally agree with your point that switching the focus on a different main character (and introductions of other side characters like Lift in-between the main chapters) does break up the pacing and readers attention. Mistborn was my least favorite book in the original trilogy because the word ‘frown’ is used about 35 times on every page and I was so annoyed 😂 but I loved The Final Empire

I could not agree more about Starless Sea vs Piranesi!! I dnf’d Starless Sea but Piranesi was fantastic! Love this video idea :)

I did not expect that 🤣🤣

I've been meaning to read Piranesi FOREVER!

Great idea for a video topic, Kevin - thank you! I may check out The Magician's Nephew, as I love man of Lewis's nonfiction work. :)

even though i might not take this in account, but cool

Piranesi was my top 10 book from a couple of years ago. Loved it. And you are so right about Fairy Tale, big Kingly disappointment…

Piranesi is definitely a great short book! Worth anyone’s time to check out

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I love gods themselves and annihilation. 😂 Rama was kind of underwhelming.

I’ve been curious about reading Martha Wells, but sounds like All Systems Red would be a good one. Thanks!

Great vid. There’s a lot of these I need to read. I enjoyed Annihilation and The Forever War more than you did but I definitely see how they are divisive

Nice video! I’m happy to agree with number 1 😊

My favorite by Card that I’ve read is his Tales of Alvin Maker series. I wrote my dissertation on alternate history fiction in large part because of that series. I prefer Speaker over Ender, but that’s a choice among jewels. I’ve got both Enchanted and Pastwatch on my shelf; maybe I’ll get to them over the holiday break. Cheers!

DNF books to make time for better books!!

I’ve got to read Speaker for the Dead finally… Ender’s Game was excellent but it’s not an all time favorite for me. My Nebula favorites would be: Left Hand of Darkness, Do Androids dream…, Fall of Hyperion, A Fire upon the Deep, 3 Body and Piranesi.

Good video. I enjoy your rapid-fire reviews. Given how you've run the gamut of bad to good, do you consider Nebula awards a guide for whether you're going to like a book? Do you pick up any books because they won the Nebula? I have enjoyed Annihilation. While I didn't love it, I was very intrigued by it, but unfortunately I liked the two sequels less and found them more oblique and confusing. Speaking of which, I did not like Time War. While I loved the many sci-fi concepts that whizzed by, I found the plot to be vague (was there one?) and found the characters confusing and not engaging. I should probably read that one again, though. I might enjoy it more now that I know what to expect. Finally, I was enticed by your review of Speaker for the Dead. I didn't care for Ender's Game (the bullying really bothered me) so I didn't continue the series, but you made me want to give it another try and continue all the way to Speaker for the dead. Thanks!

I admit I'm somewhat staggered, flabbergasted, and discombobulated by certain aspects of your review (but I enjoyed it anyway). You must be the only reader ever who thinks that Farewell Summer ranks above Dandelion Wine. FS was a book that had been on the backburner for decades, and the sketchy, almost half-hearted chapters signal that he finished the book in his final years, when he wasn't well enough to flesh them out properly. Two major books are missing from your reading, and both have a claim to the top spot if you do a revised version of this countdown. One is The October Country, and one is The Stories of Ray Bradbury. TSORB was a collection of exactly 100 stories that sort of sum up his career up to 1980. The book that tops your list was issued in 2003, and also contains 100 stories, and has no overlap with TSORB. That's right - 200 stories in two books; zero overlap! The first one, TSORB, is simply vastly better than your chart topper. Bradbury Stories consists mostly of the leftovers! If you love his short stories, The Stories of Ray Bradbury (1980) is the most essential one you need to read next. Many of the stories are from the volumes you've read, but by no means all. Tick thos off and read the rest!

438 days is so gripping! One of my favourite books. That man is a machine to get through what he did! Never forgotten the first time I read this, sticks in my mind vividly

Who knew? There's a book about the history of ice? Crazy. I actually like reading about topics that normally get looked over. Thanks for sharing. Also, I like the fact that you differentiate your reviews with obscure titles. Obscure doesn't mean bad, just different. Enjoyed this video.

The only one of these that I've read is What Moves the Dead. I enjoyed it, but I can see how the mystery element would be overpowering. I had to include it my "the reasons why I don't eat mushrooms" collection...

This to me sounds like the most depressing reading month ever… 😬 Btw, I really liked Roadside Picnic, but can totally see others bouncing off of this SF classic.

I really want to read The Wager, Island of the Lost, and 438 Days!! Thanks for putting the second 2 on my radar!

That's great when will it be on sale?

We were made to read and delve into Lord of the Flies for a whole year in school and I hated it so much that even though I know that its good I just can't bring myself to read it again to see

Good list. Also recommend Goodbye to a River by John Graves.

your impressive description encourages me to read books.

I've read a few of these, and want to read more survival stories so I'm taking notes.

Came by way of Ted Read Instead, who tagged me along with your self. Hello from New Zealand. Subbed. Best, Mark.