Best Book of the Year?? 🏆 ( DEMON IN WHITE SPOILER FREE REVIEW )

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

A frustrating time of year to read a new fav causes it misses out on the lists! DARN! Be sure to check out the merch @ danielbgreene.com/

[@Valkrill]

The audiobook makes the series even better imo, it's just insane having the perfect narration by Samuel Roukin. He sounds like British Nobility and his voice will echo in my mind forever as Hadrian's actual voice.

[@arabellawillow]

The way you and Kayla sent a personalized video for buying your merch made my litteral MONTH. You two are the best, love y'all!

[@Avzigoyhbasilsikos]

@@Valkrillkinda messed up the voice of the villain, reading is better due to the prose but that’s just my preference, the narrators performance is amazing overall

[@praetorxyn]

My constant refrain to new readers is that Demon in White is like 5 of the best books you've ever read in a single book.

[@katieamarsh]

For real. I loved so many parts.

[@jandjartcreations5545]

I feel this

[@ankithg3101]

Exactly right???? I too felt the same.....the first two were like a single story but this was multiple big arcs

[@cathalobrien7678]

Daniel I’m so so so glad you’ve returned to book focused content.

[@deanryanmartin]

As a fan of his since, I'm so glad too. Single book reviews are his greatest strength.

[@logangoodner9559]

I hope Daniel is able to interview Christopher Roucchio some time soon on the channel. I've watched several interviews with him and he is great. Really loves the genre.

[@PetrikLeo]

This and The Will of the Many are my top books of the year. Too good. Too damn good. Glad you loved it, too!

[@GivReads]

The coliseum scene with the crowd chanting "half-mortal" lives in my head RENT FREE

[@lincolnnoronha4128]

mine as well. I actually yelled alone in my house: HALF MORTAL! HALF MORTAL!

[@birdy1427]

This series is one of the few where you can just become so totally immersed, so overwhelmed by the world that you find yourself looking up after a few hours realizing you just basically had a movie play out in your mind as vivid as any you could watch on a screen. My hat off to Christopher Ruocchio, it really is a masterpiece of a series.

[@TheCrathes]

One of the things I enjoy a lot in these books is the sense of scale. Interstellar distances actually feel immense.

[@leena1842]

I’ve just finished book five and thank you so much for introducing me to this series my GOD

[@samm8190]

Daniel you gotta read Book of the New Sun now! It’s the biggest influence for Sun Eater and you’ll never read a series like it again!!!

[@Severian1]

I wait for that review eagerly. New Sun is all over Sun Eater in all the right ways.

[@samm8190]

@@Severian1 Dude I’m almost done with book four. I’ve never read anything like this. Actually I’ve been behind the curve on Sun Eater because I wanted to read Book of the New Sun first!

[@Severian1]

@@samm8190 it's amazing. I've read it multiple times with increasing pleasure. Wolfe hides so much.

[@andrewdockrill]

Whose the author?

[@rabidspatula1013]

Book of the New Sun is a one of a kind series for sure!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Amazing review!! As one of my favorite sff books of all time, it was a thrill to see you gushing about it and exploring some of the deeper thematic elements at play. Hadrian’s time chilling on the tropical island is one of my favorite sections of any book, and kudos to Ruocchio for slowing things down and letting the narrative take a deep breath (alongside us readers).

[@benjaminb4407]

Kingdoms of Death is the best book I've ever read but I don't know if I'd recommend it to anyone. It's haunting.

[@charliemessano2128]

Finished diw 5 mins ago. Fookin ready for kod

[@DBourque12]

“I am so ready for Christopher Ruocchio to hurt me”.. oh boy! The time will come, my boy

[@dreero_]

I'm glad that you're giving this series the love that it deserves with these reviews. I've been singing it's praises for a couple years now and I'm so glad that everyone else is in agreement that these books and Christopher's writing is excellent

[@erickoenig9768]

Yo, I've started reading Empire of Silence at your request and i"m enjoying it so far. However, while I see many people pointing out the Dune and Name of the Wind connections, I don't see nearly anyone pointing out that Ruocchio is influenced, perhaps more than any other, by Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. There are so many crossover elements between Book of the New Sun and this series - the use of archaic language, terraformed moons, dead suns, surreal narrations from an unreliable would-be-king, Black Clad torturers who hold up the hegemony - that I think you should definitely give The Book of the New Sun a go, at your earliest convenience. All the best

[@b.melakail]

You are correct Ruocchio has a YT channel and monthly AMA where he often discusses Book of the New Sun if you want to check that out

[@readbykyle3082]

I always go back and forth between Howling Dark and this one as my favorite and whenever someone talks about this one I'm like oh yeah its clearly this one. Glad you're loving the series!

[@nicholasshamansky3032]

I don’t know how he does it but each book in the sun eater series is better than the last. I’m itching for the 6th.

[@Glokta4]

Daniel, you win. I will start Sun Eater before I finish Malazan. One of the things you mentioned in the Demon In White spoiler free section was "not solving basic issues like poverty, while still being able to terraform a planet" and that was the final straw to get me to read it.

[@valentine_typewriter]

I want to take this moment to say, (this is an alt account) I've been a fan across all of 2023 and was honestly missing the focus on books specifically as the year drew by. (Fortunately I'm EXTREMELY new to fantasy novels so I have a huge back catalogue of reviews and books to snag anyway) So seeing this consistent follow through with it, along with the promotion section in Fantasy News...thank you Daniel. I'm not even sure I'll dig into the series as I'm not a sci-fi guy but goddamn do I love a good review. The exposure from your review and profound love you have for this may turn me over though lol

[@kevinhove6893]

I have read the first book and it a blend of fantasy and Sci=fi so maybe your jam?

[@nmal8702]

You said you’re ready for Christopher to hurt you… Be careful what you wish for Daniel, trust me, you won’t be ready 😭

[@m.a.2204]

no one is ready for book 4 even if they say they are

[@rapha_spi]

Oh shit, I'm so hyped!! Halfway through Howling Dark and loving it

[@KamilMnk]

"I'm so ready for Christopher Ruocchio to hurt me" be careful what you wish for ;D

[@flemingstephen16]

Absolutely turned the volume all the way down, to let the video keep playing. Want that algorithm lookin good! It’s so great to see you doing book reviews again. Thank you, sir. I’m pumped to start reading this series!!

[@Belemrys]

Just finished it this morning…yes to everything you said!!!

[@burnsteinz6]

I got about 5 books on my TBR until the demon is white, just finished reading Queen of Ashes and Tales of the Sun Eater vol 1 though, both great! Excited to read this one

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

These Crispin Ritchey reviews are some of your best. Makes me want to reread the entire series

[@tyarak5669]

I’m coming back to this review after just finishing it tonight. The last 15-20% of the book I read in basically one sitting. One of my favorite sci-fi books ever, great way to start 2024.

[@bradkrick8254]

Demon in white is perfect. Full stop

[@BuffBroc]

I started this series just a few days before Daniel's book 1 review because books 1, 1.5, and 2 were on Audible Plus. I'm already back around to Howling Dark on a re-listen because this series is so fire. Cannot wait for the next book! I'd like to say I haven't felt rhis way about a book series in decades but I just binged through Dungeon Crawler Carl twice in the last year as well. We're living in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Golden Age. Enjoy it.

[@samm8190]

Check out Book of the New Sun next! Gene Wolfe is the biggest inspiration for Sun Eater

[@austinkoble]

OMG thank you so much! I didn’t realize these were “free” on audible. Just started book one and I like the voice and overall tease of the setting in the first few pages. Hyped to get a few books in before my broke ass has to spend any more money lol.

[@CastleAndromedae]

I just started reading Demon in White after finishing Howling Dark, and I am hooked. This may end up being my favorite Science Fantasy series of all time.

[@bcfortenberry]

I’m around three quarters of the way through Howling Dark. Pushing the rest of the series up on my TBR.

[@ZachJones198]

Having just finished Ashes of Man I would say for books 4 and 5 treat it as one story. If you don’t know Christopher had to split the originally intended book 4 and while I still love both you can tell it is in ways supposed to be one book

[@fatsoda]

hard agree book 4 by itself... is not great, well not as good as the rest of the series. Book 5 really brings it home however.

[@ZachJones198]

@@fatsoda I actually loved 4 but I think a lot of that came from the fact Ik about the split heading into it and was expecting a somewhat “incomplete” story. I will say though you’re right Ashes of Man has not left my mind since I finished it

[@ThatOneGuyOverThere]

Damn it Daniel you and Murphy I do NOT need more books on my TBR but here you are gushing about this series and I value your opinion (sometimes) and this series has jumped far up my tbr

[@katieamarsh]

Beware because all I did in December is read Sun Eater. All of it. Then immediately started a reread. They are stupid good.

[@ThatOneGuyOverThere]

@@katieamarsh good to know. I don’t know about other people but syfy is more of a summer genre for me

[@NadiraJamal]

Audiobook people: the first volume is in the “free for members” pool on Audible right now! p.s. love the back to books focus. It’s why I subscribed in the first place, and the difference in your energy and enthusiasm is obvious.

[@katieamarsh]

I have read all of the Sun Eaters this month, the last two novels left me weeping and dying to read on. What did I do when I finished Ashes of Man, immediately restarted Empire of Silence. Demon is White is awesome. I think the Lynch comparisons are fair, the books really do go weird/horror-esque at times. They are just special special additive books. I love his writing, his prose are wonderful. I reread sentences because they are so thought-provoking. These books give me all the feels. Excitement, fear, affection, and sorrow. The world is so vast and feels so real.

[@GideonCyn]

why dont we get those covers in the UK? we got done dirty

[@royceshatzel]

Yall usually get the best covers too, I’m surprised

[@gossamerabba]

Same! UK covers are very attractive

[@deanryanmartin]

Good review, DG. Now I understand why it is entitled Demon in White.

[@shaniyoung5459]

Nah, I've been scared about Valka dying since Empire of Silence. But I agree with you so far as well. While reading The Demon in White, I thought that it's crazy that we still have another 3 books of this story. Bless your heart for this book series introduction!

[@meinzrockxx7119]

The overarching structure of the Empire really reminds me a lot of WH40k after starting to play Rogue Trader. Pretty good mix between this and Dune imo.

[@javiercalvohidalgo4238]

Hello Daniel. Ive been following you for quite some time now and ive heard you say ‘this is the best so far’ a couple of times. I would love to see you going over your top 3 scifi- fantasy books of every year in the last decade and ranking them to see, now with a wider perspective of all those books, where they really stand from each other.

[@Aldrad215]

Came back to watch the video when I was wrapped; 100% agreed

[@Uphere-do9zh]

I’m a big Twin Peaks fan and I’m within 100 pages of finishing Empire of Silence. Excited to read more!

[@Severian1]

Demon in White, and Sun Eater as a whole, is one of the few examples where first person is done right in my opinion. He feels like a person with whom you have numerous arguments but you still want to listen to. And you get characterization even in the narration itself. The Lovecraftian elements get weirder in the subsequent books, and Hadrian gets... hardened more and more. Grim stuff ahead.

[@LightningRaven42]

If you want the best version of this, try The Book of The New Sun. It's incredibly complex, challenging and demands a lot of the reader, but it is pretty good.

[@Severian1]

@@LightningRaven42 It's my favorite book of all time.

[@LightningRaven42]

@@Severian1 I am fucking stupid. Only now did I notice your name! Of course it would be!

[@ChrisCoyotee]

One of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to

[@stevetobin7495]

Im near the end of book 3 and ive been loving every moment

[@zebro2849]

I was sold with warhammer comparison

[@caps_lock_]

I'm on Disquiet Gods and for me all the books are so consistent they all just add up to one big favourite!

[@WJLMAROON]

I am definitely picking this series up in the New Year!

[@Heliopteryx]

I've been trying to read the Dune series and the Sun Eater series in parallel, meaning I read book 1 of each at the same time, and then book 2, and so on. I finished the third Dune book, Children of Dune, and am working on Demon in White. Both series are definitely similar in some ways. They go places I wasn't expecting, and the message from earlier books seems to be different in later books that I'm not sure I like. . .

[@BooksRebound]

To me it seems like The Quiet are doing kind of a Loki Sacred Timeline thing where theyre essentially gods from the end of time, collapsing past timelines and dragging pieces of their history into the proper configuration. With all the timelines running in parallel, Hadrians ability is basically probability manipulation where he as a chosen one inevitably ends up in a timeline where he lives, no matter how dangerously unlikely that is for the people around him who are not fulcrums of time. I really really hope we learn more about the quiet. The cielcin gods in the most recent book were fascinating and give me a bunch of theories about what's going on. Cant wait for book 6. I hope to god I get an ARC

[@hunterransom2594]

Do not post spoilers? You should delete this.

[@BooksRebound]

@@hunterransom2594 Do you think that's a spoiler? It's literally just speculation? I'm talking out of my ass, idk if anything I said is true.

[@matthewphillips6989]

I am enjoying doing a reread in anticipation of 6 and I'm enjoying watching your thoughts as I go and seeing the fanbase around this series grow. I am extremely interested now to know how 4 and 5 go down for you for a few reasons, and I'd also love to see you do a reread down the line as there is sooooo much foreshadowing. 5 especially has moments that were foreshadowed by throwaway lines in book 1, Anyway, 4 and 5 continue the quality though I think they feature some much more divisive plotting and the jury is still out on if the split from 4 and 5 being one book to two affected it in any way. Also LOL at your comments close to 25 minutes... oh yes... there's pain coming.

[@crisnice1]

Fine, I'll add it to my TBR. God dammit

[@warlordpro67]

demon in white is my favorite of the series. the whole books hits for me. rereading howling dark at the moment but I'm so excited to once again experience demon in white. its when the series becomes legendary in my opinion

[@EDD8209]

Finally got my hands on the first and third books in the series been waiting months and book two is still on the way. Finished up bloody rose last night so a days break then get stuck into empire of silence. Looking forward to it.

[@Jacob-og6ju]

Finished this one last night.

[@safinan8008]

Look forward to our journey for 2024 in ur Chanel 🎉wish you all the luck for next year!! 😊

[@damonresnick350]

Great review Daniel. I am with you on this one step for step. This is definitely up there as one of my favorite sci-fi books of all time for all the reasons you are articulated so well. Very curious what you have to say about books 4 and 5. I am really looking forward to the next book coming out in April 2024.

[@collicou]

I don't read a ton of scifi but i LOVED twin peaks, I might need to check this one out!

[@MaxFidler]

I finished Demon in White a few days ago. One of the things I really liked was how even though this book NEVER drags, when youre done you really feel the amount of time that has passed, how much time you have covered in that space.

[@-6ix559]

I completely forgot about his arm so when he caught the blade I was like “Ooooohhhhh shittttttt” 😂

[@akuttpasse1521]

«King killer meets dune, w/better world building and characters» is my go to when ever i try to make friends read these books haha. Been a fan for a few years now, the wait for the 6th book has been brutal. Book 4 and 5 suffer from the spilt, but are still great, and should honestly be read as one imo

[@MalonesProphet]

You really, really, without the shadow of a doubt, like yesterday, should read anything by Peter F Hamilton (admittedly Nights Dawn trilogy still stands as my favourite though), I can't see how his style won't knock your socks off if this kind of Universe building is your cup of tea.

[@LagrangeDanny]

I don't know if other people do this, but I'll watch the spoiler free section of the review before reading the book, then come back and watch it again in its entirety after finishing it, so hope that helps your metrics mate haha

[@justameeple6012]

The American reveal was foreshadowed. As he was getting at how information is almost glossed over, San Francisco was mentioned earlier. I thought the word play was great and almost GoT level. We as the read can infer Mericanii is a version of the word American- it was there under our nose since book 1. Daimon is the remarkably similar- to Daemon which is a type of computer program that runs in the background, performing various tasks without direct interaction from the user

[@emanuelwolf1817]

Did you notice that there are often references to Tolkien, but the characters mention names from Middle Earth as if they were actual historical figures?

[@kingjones20]

Book 4 is pain...no chaser, straight pain.

[@KarolinaK00]

The Valka thing you mentioned, and I have not read past this book so no spoilers, but she asked Hadrian a couple of times if she was in his visions of the possible futures and he said no. Plus the genetic identity token she gave him? Yeah, she's not gonna survive long is my guess.

[@shinigami2502]

If you love weirdness, its even amplified and expanded in Kingdom of Death

[@metalgearsenshi]

My volume was up. My phone was too close. And I was not ready for the intro at all. I've been watching you for years now. I should know better. 😅

[@treyclayton9587]

Daniel “im ready for Roucchio to hurt me” Roucchio “book four”

[@mSarimaa]

I kept waiting for Hadrian to hop into a colossi and fight either Bahudde or the Cielcin mech. There was a chance for an epic propetly Over the Top mecha style combat sequence that was missed IMHO 😂

[@Drivenby]

Sigh . I really hate the internet boner to hate Lovecraft. The guy is dead half a century . He is not making a penny . Likely no one with lovecraft last name carries his same views . Can we agree to love his work but disagree with his views ? . Even if you argue that he was not “a product of his time “ we are so far away from him HBO literally has an HP lovecraft series starting a black man lol. Anyways I like lovecraft books and stories . I’m mature enough to recognize I don’t have to agree with him on everything to enjoy his work

[@msid7748]

Hating Lovecraft in 2024 is just virtue signalling

[@dastard12]

Dangalang daniel with another dangling review. Making me want to resd this series with every video

[@iainyoung8057]

Tanks the mother of all attacks and just says "you should have sent an army..." So bad ass.

[@darcyw156]

I put my headphones down at the spoiler section, because I feel so excited for this book, I have to go start it right now. But I am going to start with the first in the Sun Eater series first .

[@iekue]

Thers some novellas and a spinoff novel available as paperback too (selfpublished it seems), had to get those too....

[@Kryten52]

Does anyone know why any physical copies of the first book are incredibly rare? I work at a bookstore and am curious but it's nowhere to be found, not even on a second sale website.

[@nopenadda]

Yeah... It's so strange to hear you You guys talk about it like this It's good. Def decent or better than that sure. This is how I felt when I found Mark Lawrence and all the stuff of his I was reading. It's not about the actual quality or brilliance(although that is a part of it), it's about finding the balances that match your individual taste. I still love those Mark Lawrence trilogies do I think they're the best and fantasy no but when you're reading them they haven't addictive quality to make you want more cuz it challenges you a little bit. Too much challenging and it could take you too long to get there not enough makes you burn through and say next

[@BlazerManiacNumber96]

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the finale (that battle went on sooooo long) but the entire middle section of this book is among my favorite piece of fiction

[@hamptertime]

This channel might actually get me back into reading books 👀

[@firenthefire2]

Hooooooooo man, the Kindoms of Death video is gonna be amazing. I just know it, can't wait.

[@user-wi9jy7dx4i]

demon in white was mind blowing

[@samanthaa.6055]

I never thought this was a corruption arc. To me Hadrian is being set up to be an Oppenheimer (which, yes you can totally interpret as a corruption story but I dont). Hadrian is not a great guy but doing something he thought was the only solution.

[@DFreeman]

Idk how far you are into Kingdoms of death but I'm sorry about that broken heart... it's rough.

[@Dragon_Reborn]

Video request! Could you make a video that introduces some of the alien races, the types of modified humans and some of the main factions in this universe? Similar to your "before reading the Wheel of Time" video you did like forever ago

[@Talking_Story]

This 1 is coming up in March for me and I cant wait now!

[@tasmanianlord5269]

Teetering to read more reviews. This is a good review!

[@devoteeofmediocrity821]

This has been on my list for awhile. I’ve hit a stretch of books that really didn’t do it for me; took the wind out of my sails, and I haven’t read in probably half a year. Maybe I’ll give it a shot.

[@puchi1388]

I want to read this but after The Expanse series, I feel burnt out. Those books were the longest I read and these are even longer!!! I must saying tho that the reading sample on Amazon does make the reading very approachable.

[@Thunder117]

SPOILERS: I just love how it has a beach episode. 10/10

[@yremogtnomnad]

This is one of the best books I've ever read, no doubt.

[@Tourniquet]

what hadrian learns to do in this book feels like a systemised/mechanical/limited version of what Rand does to The Pattern by instinct.

[@laythefoundation2083]

Is someone able to tell me why Empire of Silence is sold out everywhere? I want to read the series but I cant if book 1 is unavailable everywhere

[@katieamarsh]

After Daniel and Petrik talked about them, the publisher literally sold out every printed copy and they have to print more.

[@ryhmetravila8085]

I miss the color coding on your lights, Back when for a while. You would have different colors depending on how much you liked a particular book. Now, whenever I see the red lights behind you it makes me think i'm about to see a negative review.

[@mndrew1]

Best sci-fi duel scene since David Weber's 'pistols at dawn' duel in the Honorverse. :)

[@maya-gur695]

Thank you for adding another book to my TBR! It sounds like a book I will enjoy. Also, I just finished reading Witch's Sin and thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

Would it be better or worse for the algorithm if you just released two separate videos(one spoiler free and the other spoilery)?

[@Quiet1-y9x]

Yeah. A great book and series. Book 4 up next!

[@jackson633]

Why even take the time shit on HP Lovecraft? He is so dead he can't even roll over in his grave anymore and had a horrible life during the short time he did have it.

[@katieamarsh]

I think it keeps half the comments section from being filled with their issues with Lovecraft.

[@jackson633]

@@katieamarsh Good on Daniel for being immature and weird so we don't have to I guess then :P

[@msid7748]

virtue signalling

[@jacobbradburn3415]

Is there a reason he never did a review of the novella between Howling Dark and Demon in White, Queen Amid Ashes?