Thanks for the review. I read “Affliction” which is quite longer and harder to read, you must get into the dark gloomy atmosphere of the novel, but what helps you is the polished style of Russel Banks and his strong metaphors. I read also “The Rule of the Bone” and some short stories. However, I think that guy- young or not- was right to say he is not recognized as he should. Okay, he is acclaimed but you are one of the rare persons who made a review about one of his books on KZbin. I rank him among best American writers of the second half of twentieth century and early 2000's like Cormac McCarthy, Tori Morrison or Philip Roth, and to be honest I think Roth is quite overrated when he does not have the style of Banks. We are just talking about America, I cannot say Russel Banks is widely known and read in Europe (except Uk) where people tend to prefer Paul Auster or Brest Easton Ellis, when Banks is so versatile in his works. Anyway, I try my best to make people know him more, like you do and some others, I hope ^^

Well I bloody loved it.

Thanks again for making these videos!! I agree that the first section/novella reads more like a long intro to The False Daughter, those two go really well together if you read them back-to-back. The last section though.... after finishing the False Daughter and immediately trying to get into Lowry's perspective, yeah, I had to take a break from the book. I think you need a bit of time for your brain to switch gears because the narrative style is so different. I will say the profanity does tone down a bit later which makes it easier to read, but you have to get through a few chapters with a LOT of "fucks" first. I totally understand why a lot of people were so turned off that they just didn't finish.

46:28 Lowry talks about this more later but I believe when he says "the fucking invaders" he is referring to colonial settlers (the hint is in the mention of "pograms" aka pogroms aka wiping out Native populations). The forts are colonial forts made by settlers.

44:19- 44:36 (& 45:50) - Central (or the government on their behalf) bought this old doll factory on the Forgotten Coast to adapt it into the Southern Reach facility. In the middle of the site ("almost dead center of the main building") is a tombstone/grave of the former owner of the factory. Lowry mention's "the old dead guy['s]" will, and that the grave could not be moved for 2 more decades, so presumably the will had a clause for the new owner of the building about leaving the grave for a certain amount of time before moving it. Lowry notes the irony/weirdness in this, considering that "all the enviro regs in the world [were] quashed" during the SR's installation there, but for some reason the government/Central is honouring the tombstone request instead of also ignoring it like they did with the environmental regulations. The "only disrespect or concession" is that they filled the dead guy's grave room with weird ocean specimens in jars in the meantime, lol.

34:24 I interpreted this line about the past, the present, the future as being about Old Jim finally being able to reconcile (or remember) his past with his present and with the future. He's finally at peace in this scene. It's interesting that you interpreted it more literally only on your second reading. What I like about Vandermeer's writing (among many other things) is that so much of it is dream-like, so you can interpret events on the page as metaphorical or literal. It's also what makes it challenging to parse through on a first read, though, and to determine what's really happening and what is abstract (I had this challenge with the Rogue's scene in the meadow when I first read it - although for that one it helps to have the context from reading the rest of the book!).

I just commented a couple of videos ago, so happy to see a new instalment in this series now that I'm caught up!! 10:43 I think what this section clarifies is that Jack made Old Jim read the Dead Town files as part of his hypnotic conditioning, not to induce madness or a breakdown (the exact opposite, in fact). That's why Cass says it's "fucked up" - because Jack made Old Jim read all those files about a hypnosis black op in order to cement Jim's own hypnotic conditioning, without him even knowing. It hints at a really dark, twisted sense of humor on Jack's part.

41:13 Very interesting to hear your thoughts on Cass! When I read the beginning of the False Daughter section/novella, I didn't doubt that Jim did have a daughter. His grief felt so real and raw. I also trusted that the note Jim found in his glovebox was either proof of a real ghosting or a coverup for some nefarious disappearance (which is also Jim's first thought when he sees it). However, we know that this series is full of unreliable narrators, especially when it comes to anyone touched by Central. The phone call where Jackie asks him if he still has "perfect memory" really stands out - Jim, by his and Jackie's accounts, seems to have some form of eidetic or photographic memory which makes him a great agent/spy, but his episodic memories relating to his daughter and "almost-wife" are shaky at best (the memories relating to his almost-wife are explained later in the book, but not the daughter...). So we have to doubt whether his memories of his daughter are real right off the bat due to this discrepancy (and Jim's own admissions that he has trouble remembering even their most-recent interaction). Jim's visceral reaction to the "false Cass" at first also had me convinced that she was not his real daughter, and was someone trained (and probably physically modified) by Central to be an almost-perfect doppelganger of his original daughter (Jim mentions a few things that are "off" about her compared to his memories, mostly personality traits/mannerisms as opposed to physical characteristics). Again, though, this is also being filtered though Jim's POV, so perhaps he is just in shock and this Cass and the one from his memories are the same. But for reasons relating to what we see in the Old Decomp and Monkey's Paw chapters relating to this Cass' combat training/abilities, as well as what we learn later about this "Cass", I'm inclined to believe that if Jim did have a real daughter, she cannot be the same as the false daughter. This comment is getting long so I'll put a couple theories in the reply below. SPOILER WARNING down there for anyone who hasn't finished the book!

I can't believe you didn't mention the Mudder's "misfiled" fiddler crab specimens at 35:03! This really stood out to me the first time I read it. Jim thinks of this as the delusion spreading, but I wonder if the Mudder, as the first to see a rabbit and camera (up close, too), and as someone who clearly has good perception/observation skills overall (not only about the rabbits not being true rabbits, but she also pointed out in her journal the mismatch between the team leaders' supposed "commands from on high" when all communication tech is broken), noticed something about these specimens that no-one else could. That the wildlife was already being changed by Area X... (remember the plant/animal specimens with human cells in Annihilation?) Also, sidenote, I just finished Absolution a few days ago and as a huge fan of the series it's really captivated me. I had the urge to re-read it immediately but I wanted to give the whole book some space to breathe in my mind. Someone on the Southern Reach subreddit recommended your series for a recap and it's been really helpful in reminding me of the key points as I organize my thoughts. I may go back and watch your videos on the first 3 books too. So just wanted to say thank you for making these!

Even despite the confusion, this was still the most romantic thing I've read, or even experienced, in a WHILE.

The rouge is 100% whitby, Whitby and the Rouge are the only characters described as pale. I remember i read on reddit that some people think that The Rouge is the clone of whitby, the one that he fought on the lighthouse and then disappeared when he push it to the space that was filled with journals

Hello from Turkey. The passenger im reading now. Im still at the first pages but the book fascinates me

What i understood from the Cass storyline, is that the cass we meet it's a fake one, but she is one that cares deeply for Old jim. I think this is because she hates Jack and sees on Old jim the damage that Jack and Central can do to a men. I also think that the real Cass is dead. We know Jack has played with the memory of old Jim, i think the memory that old jim has of crashing a car when he "fights" the rouge is a real memory and that is there when the real Cass died. Maybe Jack has played and fucked up the mind of Old Jim from even before the novel started

Awesome narration, Jason! I'm on the first story of my collection: "The Forest Files". Like I said, it's about Zoomorphic humans living among normal ones. One of the five stories is a real-world recreation of the Three Little Pigs, which you're gonna love!

Just started this. So many great reviews persuaded me to give this a go…

Came back after finishing the novel. Great review!

A little late to this party, and someone else may have pointed this out, but when you put “Fang dick krank” into Google translate as German words, the translation is “Catch Fat (or thick) Sick.” Maybe it’s supposed to mean “Catch big sickness” or something like that, and the reference to male genitalia is just a Catling cheeky bonus?

Can you do a read along like this for DUNE? Pleeease❤

I read Ketchum's Girl Next Door and Off Season many, many years ago and found them to be great. Character works were the highlight. I understand the surprise.

Interesting that you specifically criticise the book about demons that she accidentally received, because I interpreted that as the author's way of giving the reader a basis to theorize that it wasn't possession after all and she manifested the symptoms of being possessed AFTER reading the quiz. I felt even more certain of this when every symptom mentioned in the quiz started happening exactly as described until she was able to answer every question with a yes. There are a few things that speak for her definitely being possessed (like the girl who said the woman standing next to the protagonist told her to approach the swan at the pond), but that could also have been early signs of her being delusional and seeing/hearing things that didn't actually happen. Either way, while I really enjoyed the book, it was nice to hear another opinion! 😄

People hate it, people love it, but it leaves nobody indifferent. I adored it. The ending is magical and the letters are clear source of beauty.

I think they did this as a set up for part 2. I could be wrong but I feel like they're hoping they'll get less complaints focusing a chunk of thr story on Abby because they've focused the story on other characters. It feels like they wanted to expand on the world not the characters

I honestly couldn't stand this book after the first two chapters. Props to you for getting through 60 percent of it.

I have gone over this book twice now… Honestly, Annihilation was perfect. I am really starting to unappreciate all the sequels at this point. Maybe Acceptance could have been a short story? Dead Astronauts probably just broke me…

It's midnight on the East Coast, and 100% I'm staying up to watch this 😂

Just finished reading this novel earlier this week. Loved your insights on it!

I'm reading Less Than Zero, Starship Troopers and various Conan stories of Robert E. Howard's this month!

I hate Sanderson's prose and even I am going to say "I actually survived this time" is so much obviously leaps and bounds better I don't know how you'd think otherwise. The whole passage only has one interesting thing going for it, and it's the vague implications that this guy has died and come back to life multiple times. The way it is originally structured, having him say "I actually survied this time" finally confirms the hint and inspires you to (maybe) keep reading.

Great update! And some really interesting reads on that list. I’ve got fingers crossed that orbital will be interesting, even if it’s not your fave. Plus - if you made it through fourth wing, you can make ot through anything haha.

As you saw, I finished the book recently so had to come check out your review. Great job!

The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder!

Good video Jason and some high praise for The Girl Next Door. I'll admit, I initially wrote it off as one of those cheap thrillers ala James Patterson, but after hearing you talk about it...perhaps I was mistaken in my presumption. Good video as always. My pick is City of Thieves by David Benioff. Fantastic book. Good winter reading. Has heartwarming Christmas stuff such as cannibalism, the horrors of war, and how war really fucks up the lives of the people who are in the middle of it. But it's also funny and has a deeply touching friendship. I recommend it.

Well I can forsee this as being controversial on this channel, but how about "The city and it's uncertain walls", Haruki Muramaki's latest book?

Looking forward to your review of Skin Medicine! I hate that you didn't like it, (but then again I very well may not if I were to read it again myself, lol XD). I get the feeling that pausing the story to write an extended flashback for the villain's backstory that takes up a third of the book maybe wasn't the best plotting decision. I think you could restructure that book with alternating chapters between present and past and perhaps have a stronger product. Oh well. And I'm surprised you hadn't read The Girl Next Door until now. That book can really leave you feeling stained. :( Also looking forward to your take on Provinces of Night; I've really got to get around to reading that one sometime myself. As for the suggested book to read, I'mma recommend a new book that recently came out called Crypt of the Moon Spider, cuz I'm actually really curious to see if I should pick that up myself. :)

I'm currently reading another Nevill book: The House of Small Shadows. I'm only on page 57 so far.

1. Suggest a book or upvote your favorite suggestions 2. I will put the top 5 most upvoted suggestions in a poll. 3. The winner of the poll will be read and reviewed.

I read the series and thought it was lightheaded, easy to read and enjoy, supported by writing better than average. The books aren't a philosophical treatise like you mentioned, but they're 2 good books that any dedicated reader can get through and add to their yearly read list without feeling like they wasted their time. They're 3/5 books, even after all I said, but a 3/5 decent story >> 3/5 900 page book

:(

I hated Authority when I read the series for the first time because it wasn't the follow up to Annihilation that I wanted...Now it's my favorite in the series. Just so much unhinged content that is perfectly paced. It doesn't show you all the horror up close. In typical JV fashion, it leaves you wanting more.

One of my absolute favorites. The fantastic elements of horror are masterfully used to elevate the real human horror that people carry with them every day. The “slower,” portions of the book are deliberate, and when it ramps up at the end, boy does it soar. I found implications of the final scene to be one of the most chilling things I’ve ever read. What I wouldn’t give for a well-crafted film adaptation…

Did you read books 2 and 3?

I couldn’t agree more the story is cool but it’s not living up to the hype.

I finished Boy's Life yesterday. Right now, I'm going through my childhood memories and realizing I caught too much "clay". Thank you for your great review.

@JasonFuhrman I've updated my book cover, you're going to love it.

First like and comment. I was WAITING for this

Highly disagree with this assessment. Usually people that don’t like this series lacks the intellectual capacity to grasp far reaching concepts in story.