January 2025 TBR

[@BrianBell7]

"and that's because Anitha takes forever." - Allen, The Library of Allenxandria. I am so glad you've returned. Your videos are some of my favorites on KZbin.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

The AI-generated YT replies suggested I respond with "Anitha is the bane of my existence" 🤣🤣

[@marianneguevara8279]

The Mechanical reminds me of The Leviathan Trilogy (World War I with genetically engineered hybrid creatures vs giant steampunk war machines). Happy to see you're taking 2025 by the horns with this January tbr!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Have you read Mechanical or it just sounds like Leviathan?

[@PonderingsOfPete]

All hail the Return of the Empire of Allenxandria!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yessssss!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I've been meaning to read The Curse of Chalion for years. Alas, my January is already insanely overbooked, so I won't be joining you, but if you love it, it will motivate me to prioritize it. Happy reading for the year of the Return of the Empire!

[@hopefully504]

Babe wake up, Allen just dropped a TBR video!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

BOOSH!

[@stacymccaskill-lilja2944]

Haha! Look at you throwing Anitha under the bus! 😂😂

[@stacymccaskill-lilja2944]

I'm looking forward to reading at a relaxed pace this next year...she says as she looks over at her 4 children shouting down the living room. 😅😅

[@stacymccaskill-lilja2944]

Good luck with your reading goals! 🎉🎉

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Children are the bane of progress

[@aysseralwan]

11:32 we got a Short story written by a Hightower before we get Winds of Winter and a very likely Hightower appearance in the books

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

@@aysseralwan hahahahahah

[@NerdyKathi]

Yes! The return of the Empire. I'm sure 2025 is going to be a great year and look forward to the counter algorithm videos (my favourite kind).

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

We're declaring war on the algorithm lol

[@esmayrosalyne]

The Allenxandria renaissance is starting off strong!! Hope all these books are a hit and help you set the right tone for the rest of the year. Especially excited to hear your thoughts on The Curse of Chalion. Happy reading Allen!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

@@esmayrosalyne yessss! And, because we are pretentious, we must pronounce it "ren-NAY-sahnce"

[@esmayrosalyne]

@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria but of course, sir, we don't accept simple plebeian speak around here

[@CharMeezy21]

I remember the many attempts to get The Mechanical on your tbr, the day has finally come 🥹🥲. I am excited to read it with everyone!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yessssssss! So good to have you back, Charmaine!

[@Johanna_reads]

Tori just gifted me The Curse of Chalion! I'm so excited about our Glorious Exploits buddy read. Don't betray us! 😭😆 "Counter-algorithmic" is such a funny description. It should be in the title of every review of subsequent books in a series. 😂

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Counter-algorothmic will be the new watchword.

[@scottv5587]

Return of the King

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yesssssssssssss

[@meowkat347]

Woooo the return of the Allenxandria Empire 🗡️

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

@@meowkat347 yesssssssssss

[@Talking_Story]

Our buddy read is off to an amazing start 🤣🤣

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Hahahahahaha

[@AnithaGadeReads]

January tbr this early???? 2025 is already looking good.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

How's Belly of the Bow coming?

[@joshramirez7]

Jeopardy is on my to be watched list in January 😉

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yessssss we're back in January!

[@esar96]

2025 the year of Allen

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

@@esar96 yesssss

[@storytoob]

Wee word of warning about Glorious Exploits... It's intentionally written in hiberno-english.. so a lot of Irish slang in dialogue and modern dublin speak in prose.. it's quite experimental

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Wait, you guys have read this?? Thoughts??

[@storytoob]

​We haven't read it, but read a few pages to get a feel for the style and the dialogue. It was quite popular when we were working in the bookshop.. so just had to get to know how to talk to people about it! We got a proof copy last year so one of us may read it along with ya! It was quite well received here, but yeah, the language is very modern Irish lol

[@MARYCALLOWAY-s4u]

Curse of Chalion was great. It's the first one I read in that series. A good introduction to the World of 5 gods.

[@EricMcLuen]

I started with Curse and it worked fine. The next one is a direct sequel which was also very good. Currently reading Thucydides- a map would be nice. Greeks certainly liked to talk a lot.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

That's why I like the Landmark Thucydides bc it has maps galore!!

[@Connorf42]

All three of Bujold's World of the Five Gods novels are standalone, though the second (Paladin of Souls) spoils the end of Chalion a bit by mentioning what happened. It is also a great book though. There is also a series of novellas in the same world that are a bunch of fun.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

This is good to know. Thank you!

[@luisfilipecaldeira]

Happy new year Allen. Im a father of a 5 year old and a 12 day year old, ill try to read 1 book in January 😅

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Children are the thieves of progress

[@Yannis-dq6ri]

Can’t wait for the next KJ Parker video 😊 hope you have an amazing and happy year!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yay thank you for watching!

[@birdieandthebooksalicia94]

Sounds like an exciting list for January

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Hopefully the 5-star Strumpet has a good January!

[@iSamwise]

Yessss Allen! I’m excited for the Tregillis books. Don’t really know what to expect but I’m anticipating the ride. And you’re right, I’ve never heard ANYONE talk about this trilogy!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I also have no idea what to expect. The one thing I'm hoping is that it isn't terrible bc I'm the only one on the hook for the whole trilogy lol

[@iSamwise]

@ that makes sense. Haha

[@1siddynickhead]

I'm here for the resurgence of the Allenxandrian Empire! Long May it Reign! Also I'm here for the Medea book! Wtf! I had no idea this existed!! Wow!😮

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yeah it just popped up in the community a couple of months ago. I had no idea it existed either. But the resurgence of the Empire is paramount!

[@1siddynickhead]

@TheLibraryofAllenxandria It's been a long time coming Allen! The people have been waiting! About the book- Euripides is THE Man and Medea is my girl so I can't pass this up! I got the Mechanical too! Thanks for bringing attention to lesser known books!

[@thefairylibrarian3282]

Oh, the Greek theatre one could go two ways. That'll be an interesting one. Keep us updated!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Will do. Please let it not be awful lol

[@over-caffeinatednerd]

ahhh I've missed your TBRs!!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

@@over-caffeinatednerd yessss thank you!

[@Stewart000]

Yay TBR! Please review the Greg van Eekhout story. I read Califirnia Bones back in the day & loved it. Curious to hear about this new story. I will try the readalongs - they sound great but time & not all Parker books have audio.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Oh awesome! Now that's two stories I'll prioritize!

[@bigaldoesbooktube1097]

Yeeeess! The return of the TBR 💪

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yessssssss

[@bigaldoesbooktube1097]

@ 😆

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Oh nice I just picked up a copy of Glorious Exploits myself and will be curious what you make of it! I personally love Sea Watch and hope you’ll enjoy seeing what Tchaikovsky’s imagination cooks up for what’s going on underwater in this world

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

So pumped to continue Apt

[@callinicobo5991]

Great list. I will read "The Mechanical" in January as well. "The curse of Chalion" is amazing and you don't need to read the other books in the world, but they are also very good. "The proof house" didn't felt too long for me, but I've red it some years ago. I suggest to try Valerio Massimo Manfredi for some Greek, Roman, and Etrusca Historical fiction. A number of his novels are translated in english. the books are usually short and pretty good in my opinion.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Oh good! I'm glad to hear about Proof House!

[@alrossin5841]

Chalion is quite standalone. One the others is basically a spinoff about a side character, and the rest take place earlier in the timeline (I hesitate to even call them prequels because there nearly unrelated)

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Oh that's excellent to know. I'll swap to Vorkosigan after Chalion then

[@SheWasOnlyEvie]

The ultimate betrayal would be to dust Johanna (and John as collateral damage) on Glorious Exploits BEFORE 2025 even starts. Scarab Path being in your top ten ain't too difficult when you only read nine books in 2024. 😝 (Pete and Anitha will have words with you if it ain't in the top three, at least, though!)

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I've read 40 books, thank you

[@SheWasOnlyEvie]

@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria Sorry, I'm thinking of Anitha. 😋

[@aerialruin8568]

The Curse of Chalion is excellent and functions fine as a standalone. The other two books in the world are only loosely related. Happy almost new year.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Good to know!

[@scottfeld3235]

I remember being satisfied with Curse of the Challion alone. I jumped to Vorkosaigan and listened to the entire series on Audible in 2024 (most of them were included in premium plus for a good chuck of the year). I really enjoyed the series on Audible! They seem to hop on and off included with a membership (they are leaving 12/31). So I recommend you keep an eye out! I may continue the war of the 5 gods series given how much I enjoyed her writing.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Oh awesome...I will definitely be on the lookoit

[@readerinthedesert_SaraBeth]

Hello! I have read only the first three of The Curse of Chalion in publication order. Honestly it was so long ago I can't remember if the first one could be a stand alone. I remember I loved it though! 😂

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Pumped to check out Chalion!

[@mattkean1128]

I'm very curious about Glorious Exploits. It won the 2024 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for comic fiction. PG Wodehouse being one of my favorites.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Oooooh, I still need to read Wodehouse. Have you seen any of the Jeeves tv?

[@mattkean1128]

@TheLibraryofAllenxandria yes! Love the Laurie and Fry stuff. Reading the books written at far back, you can really see the basis for like every sitcom.

[@brianbartels1525]

Too much Tchaikovsky to read. I just finished Dogs of War and Bear Head. So good. I can't catch up. I want to do Shadow of the Apt, but your praise for Tyrant Philosophers is so tempting as well. Thanks for filling my shelves even more.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Tchaikovsky doesn't get enough credit for how prolific and talented he is

[@brianbartels1525]

@TheLibraryofAllenxandria it's a shame that most of his books aren't even in the stores

[@TheObsessiveBookseller]

I’m also trying to read a bunch of crap first so I can get back to Apt. I’m one book ahead. Sea Watch was great. I could see how if you weren’t into it, it could lean hokey, but I loved it.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I can't imagine I won't love it. Hopefully I can catch you before you read Heir

[@LiveDragon1]

Excited for the Alchemy Wars readalong!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Same!

[@arselanehadjslimane2582]

Im getting that short story collection just for Philosophers Tyrants story

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

SEE! That's what I'm saying. Worth the price alone. I'm gonna read it in the next couple days

[@TBaggins96]

Boosh!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

BOOSH!

[@tennille9dawn]

Can't wait to hear what you think about the Curse of Chalion

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Hopefully I love it!

[@zkinak2107]

I know you don’t read horror, but Gemma Amor is an amazing writer. Her collection “These Wounds We Make” is one of my favorite short story collections.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I will prioritize her story! Thank you!

[@simonchirps]

Return of the Empire!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

Yesssssss

[@dry3rlint]

Loved Glorious Exploits. You should, too.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

That is my hope!

[@akashas6012]

"PPL 👍🏼B😴C" 😃😁🤭😃

[@akellerhouse83]

You've read Days of Shattered Faith already?! How long has it been out? I need to get to that one very soon.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

It JUST came out on December in the UK

[@akashas6012]

I have my copy of the MECHANICAL 👍🏼

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I'm loving it so far!

[@mastersal4644]

You know you could just do reading excepts for patrons instead of a reading a full book? Looking forward to next month ❤

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

How would that work?

[@mastersal4644]

@ you could do them live on a patron stream. Or just record the opening of a book / read a fav chapter and post it for patrons? That would give you more flexibility? Or maybe do a section from play or chapter from a patrons favourite book ? I would suggest a different tier for that so that people who wanted it could sign up for that. I would like a “try a chapter with Allen” - so first chapter only for a book I’ve been meaning to read etc. This idea only works if it’s less work for you of course. And if you don’t want to commit to full books.

[@LiteratureScienceAlliance]

VORKOSIGAN

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I've heard such great things!

[@Paromita_M]

Isn't this too early? Did I get stuck in some time warp. 🤔

[@MacScarfield]

Hope to get to Bojold in 2025 and will get to KJ Parker’s «The Folding Knife»! 😎🙌 My January TBR/MBR List: «After Rome» by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fiction set after the Roman Withdrawal from Britain) «Cort Adeler» by Ole Henrik Gjeruldsen (Historical Biography about the 17th Century Norwegian Mercenary and Highly Decorated Admiral for the Venetian Navy) «Anitra» by Hilde Susan Jægtnes (History Fiction, about an imagined granddaughter of the Composer Edvard Grieg living in Fascist Rome, torn between her creative dreams of creating a Grand Mythological Opera with the support of the totalitarian regime and her lesbian love for a Jewish musician) «Leviathan Falls» by James SA Corey («The Expanse» #9, Space Opera) «The Lion & the Sword» (90s Fantasy inspired by Alexander the Great’s Conquest of Greece) by Roberta Cray «The Children of Gods and Fighting Men» by Shauna Lawless (Historical Fantasy set in Viking Age Ireland) «Alamut» by Vladimir Bartol (Philosophical Historical Fiction, set among the Order of Assassins Sect during the Crusades, with parallels to the growth of Fascism in Bartol’s own 1930s) «Mannen som bar solen» («The Man Who Carried The Sun») by Kristian Bang Foss (Historical Fiction set in the Nordic Bronze Age) «Hengist» by Sean Poage (Historical Fiction Novella, set during the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain) «All the Horses on Iceland» by Sarah Tolmie (Historical Fiction/Fantasy Novella about an Medieval Icelander’s Fantastical Journey to Central Asia) Cheers Allen!

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I still want to read the Expanse as well. Also, After Rome looks cool

[@zeallygreen]

💚

[@Fianna1775-o5u]

I read Glorious Exploits in September and can say this book felt like nothing else I can remember reading. Definitely a unique concept. I’d love to see what you think, though I would let you know it’s definitely a bit weird. I have about forty books on my January TBR. I have Children of Memory on there. Have you read beyond Children of Time? I can’t remember the Allenxandria lore on that point. Once I finish that trilogy and the last two books in the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series (which are quite short), I’m starting Shadows of the Apt. I own Empire in Black and Gold. I would also like to read Goldsworthy’s Phillip and Alexander (I started that earlier this month but my brain is so bloody fried right now I moved it to after my exam coming up), the Grass Crown (book 2 in Masters of Rome), The Last of the Wine, and a reread of Mornings on Horseback. We’ll see what really happens. Hope you had a great holiday man! Hail the Empire of Allenxandria and see you in the new year.

[@TheLibraryofAllenxandria]

I have NOT yet read Children of Time...I haven't read much of his scifi yet. Also, Goldsworthy's P&A is really really good!

[@Fianna1775-o5u]

@@TheLibraryofAllenxandria Well, Children of Time is fighting to be my book of the year at the moment. It's more hard science fiction which I really enjoy. And I don't know if I would have gotten to him if it weren't for your strong recommendation of his other books so thanks! And what I read of P&A was great! I am moving it to a time and place where I can really appreciate it and my neurons aren't being cooked by "teaching strategies" and "transcendentalism." Cheers!

[@akashas6012]

😂