Loved This Book, But I Struggle To Recommend It - Here's Why

[@Talking_Story]

First off thanks for throwing my mug up there on your channel! I compared Janny's prose to a lush blanket that will surround you. I get it if you are not used to it or do not go in with the right mind set that blanket could be way too hot and suffocating. This 1 will make my all time stand alone list for so many of the exact things you brought up. Awesome video.

[@libraryofaviking]

Thanks for encouraging me to pick it up! I am really glad I did!

[@CombativeRoboGuy]

@@libraryofavikingI’m happy he convinced you, more people reading Janny Wurts makes me happy!

[@ChillCollins616]

bro. I'd recommend it, it's soooooooo good. We shouldn't hesitate to recommend challenging works in fact I say reccomd it BECAUSE it's like that

[@carolynsmith5737]

I am about 200 pages in to this book, and I love the prose! As you said, the prose fully immerses you in the world. One of my pet peeves is writing that uses modern slang in an ancient or fantastical setting. It is so jarring when that occurs.

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

Now I'm even more interested in getting to her books.

[@masonmclaughlin7905]

I love how you showed examples of the writing.

[@georginatoland]

Everything you say about it just makes me want to read it! (I read (and loved) Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury. I’m good with challenging works.)

[@apebblemaster4570]

Wow, now I'm even MORE excited to read this!

[@WilliamMorrison-rp6ws]

I read this one recently and I loved it too! I had not heard her prose described that way, but it makes complete sense. I like jazz I guess, but seriously I found her prose to be amazing and of the best in the genre. After around 30-40 pages of adjusting to it, I was in love with it. 5 stars

[@RedFuryBooks]

More reviewers should have balanced reviews like this one - I appreciate how you examined the things that worked for you and did not, and how they would translate to other readers. I do have this one on the shelf to read at some point, but will likely explore some of her earlier works first (I've read her debut and the Empire Trilogy that she co-wrote with Raymond E. Feist).

[@libraryofaviking]

Thank you, mate! I really appreciate it! I definitely need to explore both Feist an some of Wurts' other books!

[@nikosbookreviews]

Well I love that you're kind of promoting an author I love, but man this seems an odd way to do it. Wurts' style is not going to be for everyone which is okay, but she's truly a phenomenal and transcendent writer. Hell's Chasm is in writing style comparable to Wars of Light and Shadow and is a good one to read to determine if the style works for you before jumping into the big series (which is hands down the best series I've ever read).

[@elessarbre]

I read her Empire series she co-wrote with Feist and loved it. The prose in that one was quite accessible so maybe that's a good start for new readers. I was looking to check out more of her books so this standalone seems perfect. Thanks.

[@ericneff9908]

I’m not sure I understand not recommending a great book because the prose is challenging. Do you think so little of your viewers? I would put Wurts up against the very best the genre has to offer. Top 3 if I had to commit. She gets too little attention, perhaps because she is challenging. But in a genre tragically not short on mediocre prose, she shines. Challenge your viewers.

[@spookyfirst9514]

Sounds amazing. I do love a book that makes me work, think, or hunt for definitions for things. Most of the time I find that in nonfiction. (Usually textbooks) The Medieval diction might be tough at first, but I think I can get through it. Thanks for the non-recommendation. 🙃🤣

[@seanbester1465]

I love interesting prose, and I took the plunge by buying the first 3 books in her Light and Shadow series last month. No idea when I'll get to it, but excited nonetheless.

[@BrianBell7]

Really glad you've put a spotlight on "To Ride Hell's Chasm". I recommend it wholeheartedly but I understand your hesitations. I believe fantasy readers really have little to lose by trying this remarkable book due to it's nature as a standalone and they just might find, like I did, an author who refuses to tell a story in any other way than comes naturally to her and allows readers an opportunity to grow as readers.

[@bkyu39]

I think this is a native speaker/reader vs ESL thing. I find her prose amazing. It is not unique and weird. It’s just a higher level prose. If you read literature regularly this is just great prose craft. Maybe try reading some George Elliot or Faulkner or Joyce or Pynchon or Melville or Morison or or or … and you’ll see what I mean. I’ve heard you describe other brilliant English prose writers as difficult or opaque or unclear. No. It’s just written in a literary rather than popular genre style.

[@TBaggins96]

I'm about halfway through the book, and like you, I am marvelling at the depth of character Wurts is able to develop in relatively little space. Like her style or not, she definitely knows her craft.

[@JyothiTadepalli-ii7rl]

I'd recommend Guy Gavriel Kay as well. Fantastic plot, prose, and politics. Absolute top-notch.

[@Leoslittlebooklife]

I read this novel last year and English is not my native language. So this was so tough and difficult to read. At the same time I liked it very much, and felt proud when I finished it, lol! So I totally get your point.

[@matthewbackhouse6309]

I’m currently about 60% of the way through, I think the story and the characters are great, but I’ve noticed my reading speed has been much slower and i do have to re read sections. It’s good to challenge yourself with different prose styles though imo

[@shawnturpin197]

I think I'll read this even though you don't think I'm smart enough.

[@EricMcLuen]

The prose did take some getting used to bit after Wolfe, Erickson and MvCarthy, readers need to adapt. She also had some quirks that I am probably over sensitive to but overall liked the book and have some more on the shelf. WoLaS though at 11 in the series might be a while.

[@LordJazzly]

Oh! That writing style actually looks great though. Janny Wurts; I'll have to have a look into these. And on the subject of books I can't recommend to a wide audience, but still loved... well, for Fantasy there are the Ian Irvine series I read - View From the Mirror and Well of Echoes. Amazing world-building, plot that draws you in and keeps you reading, characters that - it's upsetting to see them break, and they _do_ break, because it's also... 'grim' and 'stark' aren't exactly the right words, because it's still an epic fantasy. It's more like - he's unforgiving of his characters, is what it is. They are on an epic quest, but there's no destiny involved, and so there's a bit of an attrition rate. I need to go back and finish the last series of his I was reading. It got pretty unpleasant pretty quickly and I was going through some tough times, so I set the book aside and then forgot about it.

[@NamasteBbooktube]

Thanks for the review. I can handle dense prose, but I don't know if the sentences you quoted are in English 😵‍💫 might wait on this one unless I'm trying to fry my brain 🤔🤯

[@safinan8008]

Thank you for review I might check it out… 😊

[@JLoja88]

I would be very curious of your opinion of Scott R Bakker's Prince of Nothing series :P I think you'd like it very much, if you enjoy this kind of writing. It's a mix of grim dark fantasy and philosophy.

[@Henry-jp3mc]

Amazing series

[@ernstbrehm1135]

And you can’t get through Deadhouse Gates?

[@libraryofaviking]

Hahah I need to give it a second try. The plot is quite linear and only focuses on a handful of characters in To Ride Hells Chasm. I don't think you can say the same thing about Malazan

[@ernstbrehm1135]

@@libraryofaviking Yes, plus it’s only one book. I have 8 more to go in Malazan & I’m delaying getting into book 3. They really are tough reads for me, but I can say, am finally enjoying it. Just have to take my time.

[@williamgwynne]

Cannot wait to dive into some Wurts! Wonder how the style will click with me 👀

[@Majesticon]

Also bummed that Mark Lawrence said that. I was enjoying "book that wouldn't burn" (which doesn't lack for its own density) and now im looking at it differently😔

[@focusrelax8838]

I wonder how these booktubers can read these big books and read 3-5 books per month? How do you do it Johan? How many hours do you read after school/work?

[@diggeroldmate8122]

The term we're looking for is 'overly verbose'. It's bad writing, but, luckily, many people aren't that bothered by it.

[@egilgarberg9893]

Had the exact same experience with curse of miswraith. Obviously good story teller, but the language feels very stocastic for my non-native english skills. (Norwegian) Loved Empire series and really wanted to give CoM a hard try, but had to DNF after 50% and still strugeling

[@kaki295]

Really bummed out that there is no translation of this book in my first language

[@Viksbelle]

In other words, one would have to be far more literate than most learn to be these days.

[@leopercara3477]

Shakespeare is simpler. Thank God.

[@migueltonnies6856]

I do not find any of your examples particularly challenging, sorry. You either are well versed in reading's / writing's complexities or not. 😊

[@JohnAndrewMacDonald]

The writing is not difficult - at least not for someone older than a Zoomer. I am not trying to be rude, but as a man in my 50s I find her writing style perfectly fine. The "archaisms" are certainly easy enough if you have a history of reading Scripture of any ancient Christian writings. This might be why so many people dislike Brandon Sanderson. His writing is so bland it is almost like reading a newspaper. It is not that all novels need to be high prose, but we all need to read at least some high prose in order to expand our vocabulary.

[@symbolguy3609]

12 books!?😨

[@bronzedisease]

Make Lawrence is hardly a good judge of prose style. His isn't that good.

[@thummumcrysanth]

The wobbly outline special effects you are using on the book quotes are hurting my eyes. Please stop.

[@Henry-jp3mc]

Try R Scott Bakkers series.

[@duffypratt]

I’ve read the first eight books in Wars of Light and Shadow, and I feel the same way. I like the books, and they drive me bonkers because of the writing style. She was at her best, IMO, in collaboration with Feist.

[@Majesticon]

What?! Wait, you said the genre was dying. Wouldn't it be essential that you recommend "challenging books" books that elevate your favorite genre? I don't know, man this feels like you're not-so-humble humble bragging that you got through it and calling the Fandom dumb.