February '24 Books | Moorcock, Durfee, Steinbeck | 5 Books

[@esmayrosalyne]

You've got me very excited about the Five Warrior Angels series, I love that I will have the liveshow replays to watch back whenever I get into the series myself! And I had never really been interested in Moorcock, but you just sold me! Great wrap-up, I hope March is treating you well ;)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I see the word "review" -- increasingly rare on BookTube -- and I click! Awesome to hear your thoughts on these books, Josh. Steinbeck is brilliant. I used to teach his short story "The Chrysanthemums" every semester. Summer Knight was, for me, one of the best of the six Dresden books I've read so far, and I agree that Harry becomes more relatable in it. Thank you for the video!

[@cynthiafialka]

I agree, I love how Josh gives his thoughts on the books. I don’t care that much about hauls etc.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Philip! I think technically this video is a "wrap-up" in BookTube terminology, but short reviews I think is more accurate as I don't mention the other things going on with the channel. I'm trying to do more reviews in general too, as I'm finding that's what's most compelling for me to produce right now.

[@bardsandbooks]

Elric is making its way to the top of my TBR!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Nice! Enjoy!

[@BookishChas]

Great video Josh! I’m glad you’re sticking with Dresden. He does get less and less cringy over the course of the series.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Chas, that's really good to know!

[@BrianBell7]

I entirely agree with you on BLD's ability to misdirect. I'm looking forward to your reaction to The Lonesome Crown and seeing him on the channel as you all discuss. It makes some sense to me that he's so good at misdirection as he reads so much mystery / intrigue genre, it really shines through.

[@RedFuryBooks]

That's a really good point - Durfee being such a big consumer of the mystery genre likely did influence this aspect of his craft.

[@KindlesandKicks]

How awesome for Brian Lee Durfee to join you guys. Look forward to watching that. I also thought the second book was great, especially the final battle scene. I’m hearing more and more great things about Moorcock. I need to make him a priority this year.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Moorcock is one of those classic fantasy authors that feels quite modern in many ways - I hope you enjoy him when you get to his books!

[@gastondeveaux3783]

I also have Steinbeck as one of my favourite authors. East of Eden is probably my all time favourite book.

[@RedFuryBooks]

East of Eden is definitely a top 5 for me!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

So glad you started up with the Dresden audios! Right with you on Marsters elevating the experience and Harry himself. As the character work gets deeper as the series goes along, Marsters delivers some of the most impactful narration I’ve ever heard. I know you’ll be into Blood Rites soon, and while the mystery plot of that one is a bit ho-hum, there’s a section in the middle that is kind of a break from the rest and is incredibly powerful, and Marsters delivers. Then once you get into Dead Beat it’s off to the races and the series soars!

[@RedFuryBooks]

This is great to know - glad you chimed in! I'm likely starting Blood Rites today on audio and definitely look forward to seeing this series continue to grow.

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

@@RedFuryBooks love it!

[@Johanna_reads]

This is the motivation I needed to continue Elric Volume 2 after Revenge of the Rose. 😂 Great hearing your thoughts on these books!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Awesome! I do think the two you have yet to read are the two best of the 8 I've read!

[@scottferris2686]

Sounds like a good month of reading. Very excited for you to continue with Dresden. For me, Dresden, book one, and two were three stars - Book 3 and four were four stars - from book 5 up to changes were solid Five Star. Obviously, just my opinion.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Good to know! I did finish Death Masks early this month and it was my first 5-star of the series.

[@Talking_Story]

You are starting tonight I hope to be finishing tonight. All I can say is this book goes up 11. Then 11 is not loud enough so Durfee kicks the amp for feedback. That is rock and roll!!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Haha I love the analogy!

[@MichaelRSchultheiss]

Kudos for continuing with Dresden Files! For me the early books are a little uneven, albeit with plenty of promise, and it gets very good at some point--and it's been years, but I'd say probably about the point you're at now!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Great to know!

[@calebcox4963]

Glad you loved Stormbringer! It’s my favorite novel with a great ending that blew me away. Going to have to re-read it soon.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Awesome!

[@wyluli-dt9wv]

Elric is great and I'd agree with just reading the first six. They're all you need. Now that you're a Moorcock fan you need to pick up The Chronicles of Corum. I liked it more than his Elric stuff so maybe you will too. As others have said the Dresden files get better as they go along. Keep plugging away. Its worth it. If you enjoy urban fantasy then Benedic Jaka's "Alex Verus" series is the best I've read. Like Dresden they're easy reads and the series is wrapped up so you're not waiting around for years for the end of the story.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Good to hear regarding Elric - thanks! And the Alex Verus series has been on my radar for some time - I'll definitely be reading those at some point.

[@heidi6281]

Josh another recommend, Desert Solitare by Edward Abbey, memoir of a park ranger in Arches National Park in the 1960’s. A great story of his relationship with the land. I camped over night there in 2001.. a night I will never forget. Between the winds and the stars and a light show with no thunder. It could have been a sight in a fantasy novel. Stormbringer is my favorite cover! I bought all those new omnibuses just for the art. I still need to read them.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks for the recommendation, and yes I love that Stormbringer cover art!

[@bigaldoesbooktube1097]

8:00 so like the princess bride 🤔

[@RedFuryBooks]

Haha maybe the only time anyone has ever compared Durfee's work to The Princess Bride!

[@Talking_Story]

annnd my book of February was Song for Arbonne. Was there any doubt?

[@thatsci-firogue]

I haven't had a miss from GGK yet!

[@Talking_Story]

@@thatsci-firogue I’ve only read 1 but I have 2 more on the stack now already.

[@thatsci-firogue]

@@Talking_Story which ones? I just restarted Last Light of the Sun.

[@Talking_Story]

@@thatsci-firogue lions of al rassan and tigana

[@thatsci-firogue]

@@Talking_Story LOVE Lions of Al-Rassan! Truly one of my favourite books of all-time. Tigana's really good. Weird, but good.