My Top 10 Books I Read in 2019

Mike makes it official by declaring the Top 10 books that he read in 2019.
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#Top10 #BestBooksof2019 #MikesBookReviews

[@mikesbookreviews]

Here is all the books I read in 2019 (x2 means it was a re-read): 1. The Mist - Stephen King (x2) 2. Christine - Stephen King (x2) 3. Apt Pupil - Stephen King (x2) 4. Cycle of the Werewolf - Stephen King (x2) 5. The Long Walk - Stephen King 6. The Running Man - Stephen King (x2) 7. Thinner - Stephen King (x2) 8. Elevation - Stephen King 9. The Tommyknockers - Stephen King (x2) 10. NOS4A2 - Joe Hill 11. The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan 12. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan 13. The Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan 14. The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan 15. The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie (x2) 16. Before They Are Hanged - Joe Abercrombie (x2) 17. Last Argument of Kings - Joe Abercrombie (x2) 18. Edgedancer - Brandon Sanderson 19. The Fires of Heaven - Robert Jordan 20. Lord of Chaos - Robert Jordan 21. Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie 22. Prince of Thorns - Mark Lawrence 23. The Heroes - Joe Abercrombie 24. The Painted Man - Peter V. Brett 25. The Last Wish - Andrzej Sapkowski 26. Red Rising - Pierce Brown 27. The Black Prism - Brent Weeks 28. Eragon - Christopher Paolini (x2) 29. Golden Son - Pierce Brown 30. Morning Star - Pierce Brown 31. Red Country - Joe Abercrombie 32. The Blinding Knife - Brent Weeks 33. The Horse & His Boy - C.S. Lewis (x2) 34. King of Thorns - Mark Lawrence 35. Sharp Ends - Joe Abercrombie 36. The Broken Eye - Brent Weeks 37. The Desert Spear - Peter V. Brett 38. Heir to the Empire - Timothy Zahn (x2) 39. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson 40. The Institute - Stephen King 41. Dark Force Rising - Timothy Zahn (x2) 42. A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie 43. In the Tall Grass - Joe Hill (x2) 44. Doctor Sleep - Stephen King 45. The Blood Mirror - Brent Weeks 46. Oathbringer - Brandon Sanderson 47. Sword of Destiny - Andrzej Sapkowski 48. Iron Gold - Pierce Brown 49. The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch 50. A Crown of Swords - Robert Jordan 51. Storm Front - Jim Butcher 52. The Coming of Conan - Robert E. Howard 53. Fool Moon - Jim Butcher 54. Dark Age - Pierce Brown 55. The Path of Daggers - Robert Jordan 56. The Daylight War - Peter V. Brett 57. Blood of Elves - Andrzej Sapkowski 58. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone - JK Rowling (x2) • Eldest - Christopher Paolini (DNF)

[@Hadrian1616]

That is such a huge list. Professional booktuber confirmed. 🙂

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@Hadrian1616 Hoping to do 60 this year. But we'll see since I plan to (finally!) return to the workforce around summer time after graduation.

[@jmoney12ization]

I watched your red rising review and others in that series. After becoming a fan of the series and re reading the first did you like it more or was it still just blah for you? I liked it from the beginning.

[@danielvanrooyen9602]

Only started reading last year, and joined your channel recently. Watching a back log of your videos and just throwing in my top 10, even if it is 6 months later. 10. Batism of Fire - Sapkowski 9. Eye of the World - Jordan 8. The Final Empire - Sanderson 7. Red Seas under red skies - Lynch 6. Sword of Destiny - Sapkowski 5. The Hero of ages - Sanderson 4. Salem's Lot - King 3. A Game of thrones - Martin 2. The Lies of Locke Lamora - Lynch 1. The Way of Kings - Sanderson Read many of the same series, so that is way there is repeating authors in the top 10. 2020 is shaping up to be even better.

[@benjaminmolina3456]

Dude, seriously thank you. Finding good books to read in my country and your recommendations area gold.

[@harmanpiano]

Congrats on a successful 2019! I started by watching your First Law videos and stuck around for the rest. Speaking of...my favorite book this year was The Heroes with BSC a close 2nd. Also, I picked up Red Rising from my local book store based on your rec and hope to read it early next year!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Awesome! I hope you enjoy it. Just promise yourself you'll start book 2 no matter what and you're in for one hell of a ride.

[@LiveItUpDaily]

Thank you Mike for the always entertaining & engaging reviews & discussions. I really enjoy watching your videos and even though, a lot of the time I’m not reading/watching what you are talking about, it’s just fun to join the conversation. I guess part of it is that I can tell you’re a genuine nice guy who’s really just in this for the conversations and not for the clout or money. I really wish you all the best in the new year and hope your channel keeps growing so your positivity can reach more people. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 😊

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thanks for saying so. I have little use for outrageous subscriber counts and minimal interaction. This is just something I wanted to do as a hobby for fun to find more people to talk books with. Have a great Christmas!

[@NikhilKoparkarmusic]

Good recs all! I started Dresden because of you, and I can never thank you enough man 🙏🏽❤️

[@adamfriedel6833]

Wow, amazing. I read the Demon Cycle Series and enjoyed it all except the last book. I read the Troy Series by Gemmell. I read the Druss Series by Gemmell. I'm so excited to have found your page because now I have so many more series to explore. Looking forward to starting Weeks and Abercrombie.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Abercrombie is the best. You'll love it. As for Demon Cycle, book 3 was the first one where I felt like things slowed down to a point where I knew it was meant to be a trilogy and Brett prolonged it. But I'm still going to finish it.

[@dgrizzley]

Your videos are terrific

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thanks so much!

[@AudioEpics]

So impressed by the amount of books you read in a year! Curious about Joe Abercrombie, although if 'morally grey' characters means characters that are basically unpredictable, impulsive and not consistent, which we've experienced in the past is often what people mean by that term, it's probably not for us. Definitely going to read the Bachman Books as some point. Stephen King rocks! Thank you for your video.

[@ZanyZoboomafoo]

Have a great time with the Ryeria Revelations, great series so far (two books in)

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'm looking forward to that one, for sure. Have yet to hear a single negative about it.

[@laughandgrowfat7424]

The Cabin at the end of the woods by Tremblay, Altered Carbon trilogy and the Institute all stood out for me during 2019. good video mate

[@mikesbookreviews]

I've always had an interest in the Altered Carbon series.

[@Macroman595]

Altered Carbon has a book series? I only knew of the netflix series

[@laughandgrowfat7424]

@@Macroman595 yes! The first tb series is similar to the first book (at points). The 2nd and 3rd book are brilliant and do not resemble the 2nd series much

[@jmoney12ization]

Been watching your vids and your taste seem to match mine so i have been loving your recommendations. Im with you all the way on the red rising. Although the later books I havent decided on yet. I feel he tried to do a little to much by having so many character perspectives. Ive got a few slightly different you might like. They are kinda end of the world. Not quiet sci fi. More like i am legend or walking dead.

[@dcarman686]

Hey Mike I'm going to check out some of the book your recommending. The Long Walk I read back in the early nineties. I felt so sorry for my sore feet. Great Book. I'm currently reading Dark Elves and the second WoT The Great Hunt. I love your commentary on the Witcher Netflix series.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thanks for saying so! It truly feels like an event for me, like when Game of Thrones first came out. So I wanted to get some fresh thoughts out there. Enjoy Great Hunt. It's so good.

[@SamS-xb2yr]

Great list! My favourite books of the year were The Great Hunt, Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight, Iron Gold, Golden Son, Baptism of Fire and the Way of Kings

[@mikesbookreviews]

All the ones I've read of these were great, and the rest are on my TBR in 2020.

[@adrianreinstein1154]

I just got into red rising... (on golden son)... I wasn’t sure if I was gonna go past the first trilogy, but you’re down with iron gold?

[@SamS-xb2yr]

@@adrianreinstein1154 Oh yeah! Iron Gold is slower paced than the others but still fantastic

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@adrianreinstein1154 Heck, I wasn't expecting much from Iron Gold since it takes place 10 years after the trilogy, but I freaking loved it. Could not put it down.

[@jefferyheileson7188]

I read the The Long Walk based off your recs and loved it! I will definitely read more King now. Re: WoT, I agree with you on The Great Hunt!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I felt stupid for waiting so long to read Long Walk. Soooooo good. For me, I'm not sure Great Hunt can be topped with WoT 9-14. I just loved it so much.

[@jefferyheileson7188]

@@mikesbookreviews just wait, 12-14 are phenomenal!

[@AndrewsWizardlyReads]

Red rising is high on my TBR thanks to you.

[@jryan217]

I loved Best Served Cold! That's the first Joe Abercrombie book I read after discovering him last year and so glad I did, I bought all the rest after reading that one.

[@Kyiam]

Two books I really enjoyed this year: I really liked Grey Sister which is the second book in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence, and I finally read The Name of the Wind and I’m definitely in the camp that adores it!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'm certainly in the minority on NotW.

[@nealhoffman7518]

Once the are caught up on Dresden Files... read Codex Alera, and the Cinder Spires. Butcher does a wonderful change of style to clear his own pallet. They are well worth it

[@mikesbookreviews]

I definitely plan to read everything Butcher has written after I finish Dresden.

[@dpeady78]

This year I discovered reading again, after a few years of working in Middle Earth I didn't feel the need to read fantasy as it ruled my working life for so long. This year however i started playing catch up again - Loved Mistborn Era 1, First Law Trilogy, Godblind Trilogy & recently Red Rising (on book 3 currently)and also Chuck Wendig's Wanderers was a great read

[@mikesbookreviews]

I've been hearing a lot about Godblind lately. Heard it's quite grimdark.

[@davidoneill1773]

Hi Mike just wondering have you ever read any LITRPG books. If not I recommend,The Land: Founding: A LITRPG saga (chaos seeds book 1. I'm in the middle of book 2 and really enjoying it. My next read is going to be the first book of the Dresdon files, heard so many positive things about that series. I'm really enjoying your video's to

[@mikesbookreviews]

I haven't, but you aren't the first person to recommend them. Outside of Ready Player One, which I have read, I didn't even know this was a subgenre until this year. Most people recommend Tad Williams Otherland novels. Dresden is a lot of fun, even if I am only on book 3 right now. The highest of recommends.

[@heraldofmorning3219]

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Mr. Mike (hope that doesn’t sound to weird)! Have a great vacation and have fun!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thank you guys for talking back to me! And thank you. We need the break.

[@vincienator]

58 books in a year? Dear lord. I've only picked up reading last year in August. In a way to improve my English (i'm a native dutch speaker from Belgium) and of course for relaxation. I don't only focus on fantasy. But I also read some classics. So far I've read 28 books. And my ratings of books change all the time. What at first started as a 5 star rating. Has sometimes now dropped to a 3 star rating. This is the fun part of being a beginner reader. My mind gets blown every week. For my favorite book i read so far it must be The way of kings. This was basically my first modern fantasy book. And I immediately read Words of radiance once I was finished. I haven't read any SCI-FI so far. So i am picking up red rising. Thanks for the tip.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Way of Kings is going to set the bar pretty high as it's one of the best fantasy books ever, IMO. Hope you enjoy Red Rising. It's super rewarding if you get past book 1.

[@twoas6494]

Red Notice by Bill Browder Recursion by Blake Crouch The Three Body problem by Liu Cixin A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski Snow Crash By Neal Stephenson Golden Son by Pierce Brown Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie Ill order the top 5 because its pretty hard to order this entire list. 1)Recursion 2)Golden Son 3)A Little Hatred 4)Neverwhere 5)Red Notice Definitely loved Golden Son and Best Served Cold like you did. The red raising series is becoming one of my favorites. Edit: Changed my top 5. Probably will change my mind later again lol.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Oh, I changed this top 10 list about a dozen times, so I get it. I am in clear support of the Pierce Brown and Abercrombie on your list. Same with the Sapkowski. I really need to read Recursion. Heard nothing but amazing things.

[@adrianreinstein1154]

I liked the video before even watching... because... obviously this will be good content.

[@adrianreinstein1154]

I was right... and so were you!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Ha ha thanks!

[@Newt5996]

This year: The Mistborn Trilogy, It, The Stand, The Gathering Storm, and Storm Front were among some of my favorite books I read this year as well as certain Doctor Who novels mainly Vampire Science, Alien Bodies, Seeing I, and Matrix.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Strong list! I've never read a Doctor Who novel despite being a big fan. I don't care for what the show has become, so perhaps I'll have an interest like how the new Star Wars movies pushed me back to my love for the original EU.

[@Newt5996]

@@mikesbookreviews Well if it helps the three full length Whittaker novels are interesting. The Good Doctor is the one that's out and out bad as it takes all the fears of portraying Thirteen as the Female Doctor instead of the Doctor who just happens to be female and makes that the plot. If you didn't like Series 11, it will make you appreciate it more and realize how the issue with Series 11 was just how average Who it was. The other two were pretty solid. I'm partial to the Virgin New Adventures and Virgin Missing Adventure lines from the 1990s (which I'm a part of an unofficial adaptation project).

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@Newt5996 Jodie doesn't bother me as the Doctor at all, i just don't like how the new writer's room basically robbed the series of all of its mythology and turned it into the weekly preaching lesson. It isn't fun anymore and the whole reason I watched Who was to have fun and a sense of adventure through time and space. Not to see the Doctor concerned about 2019 U.S. politics. So I'll look into some of the books if you say they are better.

[@Newt5996]

Mike's Book Reviews oh if you love deep lore the VNAs are the way to go. The Daleks never appear due to Terry nation not giving the publishers the rights but the series dives into gallifreyan mythology and it’s where several of the new series writers got their start.

[@jumperszijnirritant]

I just started reading again after a long pause where I just didn't feel like it. I started with the first book of the grimm company by Luke Scull and the final empire by Brandon Sanderson. I also did a re-read of the A song of ice and fire books because I really don't like the ending of the tv-series and wanted to experience the story from the books again. I must say, of all those I think I liked the grimm company the most, which surprised me because it doesn't get that much love that I know of. I bought the second one but haven't started reading it yet. Hopefully it's as good as the first one!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I've had Grim Company recommended to me by Goodreads "based off your likes" for a couple of years now. I'd definitely like to get into it one day.

[@jumperszijnirritant]

@@mikesbookreviews I just finished the trilogy! I really liked the first book, loved the second one (favorite book in the trilogy for me), but I was a little bit disappointed by the third book. It wasn't bad, but if the series started with this quality I would have been less likely to continue. I felt like the author had a little bit too much going on and had some problem ending the story. Also some elements just weren't my cup of tea, so that's more a problem of personal preference than a problem with the book. Overall a good trilogy, especially for a (I think) debut. (Sorry for the vague description, I just don't want to spoil anything!)

[@UNIDiver]

Great List! Read all but The Blinding Knife, The Long Walk and the two Ambercrombie books (Which is silly, because I also love the First Law trilogy. I think I haven't for the same reason you hadn't, I wanted to follow the characters after then end of that trilogy, not just read books in the same world) ---- I Really hope you like the Ryira Chronicles. Love the characters in that series, and the follow up books. I found myself eating up the books, just to follow along with the characters, and what they get into next. --- Question, I've only read a few Stephen King books (Tommyknockers &, Misery). Would you go with The Long Walk or jump into The Dark Tower series, if I wanted to read some Stephen King next? Or would you suggest a different one altogether? Have a wonderful holidays.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Depends what you're looking for. If you want some deep fantasy in an alternate universe with a ton of moving parts, go Dark Tower. If you just want a taste of King's style, I'd go with Long Walk. Though technically it's really before King was the King we know today since he was a high school student when he wrote it. Long story short, if the time commitment doesn't bother you and you want a fresh spin on the fantasy genre, with almost none of the traditional tropes, Dark Tower is an experience.

[@UNIDiver]

@@mikesbookreviews He was in High School when he wrote The Long Walk...damn! I think I'll go Dark Tower, but The Long Walk has been added to my tbr list. Thank you!

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@UNIDiver Enjoy the journey! The Man in Black is probably his best villain ever.

[@davids2735]

Golden Son is incredible!!! The best of the whole series in my opinion, including the 2 new ones. I think a lot of people unfortunately get stuck on Red Rising and don't go any further because of not liking that one. I really liked Red Rising, but man, does the world get expanded and the plot/characters get so much more intricate and interesting starting with Golden Son.

[@mikesbookreviews]

That's why I keep telling people to just get through Red Rising and they'll have their mind blown. I almost gave up on the series after book 1. So happy I did not.

[@davids2735]

@@mikesbookreviews I personally haven't read Hunger Games(watched the movies though) and I get why people compare it, but like you said from there on out it is totally different. Like how I've heard Robert Jordan goes from Eye of the World basically being "The Fellowship of the Ring" reincarnated to something so much more and utterly unique.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@davids2735 That is a perfect comparison.

[@bottle1211]

love red rising. all of them

[@Musicteachersheff]

This was a year of re-reads for me...I re read all of the Anne McCaffery Dragons of Pern books. They don’t seem like your style but I highly recommend them! Re read the maze runner books as well as all of the Percy Jackson books. Currently re reading His Dark Materials trilogy both because of the show and because of the new books in the world. The best new ones for me this year were: Good Omens - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman Strange the Dreamer - Laini Taylor The Testaments - Margaret Atwood

[@mikesbookreviews]

I’m planning to start Golden Compass after this Riyria book I’m on. I know I trash YA a lot, but I enjoyed the Maze Runner trilogy.

[@Musicteachersheff]

Mike's Book Reviews there are also 2 prequels. Kill Zone was great. Fever Code was less great.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@Musicteachersheff In my memory, I wanted another sequel because I still felt like there were unanswered questions (though I can't recall them now) so I ignored the prequels.

[@kennymocivnik6408]

I'm new to the channel, but I would like to read Red Rising.

[@belesir8847]

Only read 15 books this year because I just started reading again for the first time since I was a kid and it's definitely taken some adjusting in terms of my attention span haha. Of those, Last Argument of Kings was probably my favourite though. Joe Abercrombie is phenomenal.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Abercrombie is the best, man. I'm so glad so many of my viewers are giving his books a try and liking them.

[@encapsulatio]

Abercrombie probably has the best new books.A lot of his "competitors" flopped with their new books compared to what they released earlier.Who's your second "favorite" author after Abercrombie?

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@encapsulatio In fantasy? Sanderson (living) and Tolkien (not living.) In sci-fi I'll go Pierce Brown (living) and Frank Herbert (not living). Overall it is Stephen King before everyone.

[@farhad_s]

The year was full of rereads (mostly Discworld - Terry Pratchett and Blandings Castle - P.G. Wodehouse), so ignoring those, my top books for 2019: Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman) The Complete Little World of Don Camillo (Giovannino Guareschi) Sandman Vol 1: Preludes and Nocturnes (Neil Gaiman) Shadow Rising (Robert Jordan) Origin (Dan Brown) The Tokyo Zodiac Murders (Soji Shimada) The Antipope (Robert Rankin) Sword of Destiny (Witcher series, Andrzej Sapkowski) Kohen Kobi Kalidash (Misir Ali series, Humayun Ahmed)

[@mikesbookreviews]

Very diverse list. Nice.

[@nealhoffman7518]

For 2020, if you haven't read them I recommend the Lincoln Rhyme novels starting with Bone Collector. The Denzel Washington movie is great, but the books are so much better

[@mikesbookreviews]

First I've heard of them. Will put them on my Goodreads.

[@meatsack3938]

My first book this year was the outsider by Stephen King which was the first of his I've read in years and really enjoyed. But in September discovered first law and read them all one after another (just starting a little hatred now). May have to make red rising my first of next year. Being fairly new to fantasy only having read GOT, witcher and first law I'm a bit cautious to start a new series out of fear I wont enjoy them as much, any grimdark recommendations?

[@mikesbookreviews]

After First Law everything else seems like it can't measure up, IMO, but if you want even darker I'd recommend Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire trilogy. That group makes the First Law characters seem like the nice neighbors down the street.

[@meatsack3938]

will add it to the list for 2020

[@MrTofy1974]

Since I only read 11 books and will probably finish with 12 by the end of the year, this is my top 5 list that I have on my Goodreads challenge: 5. Season of Storms 4. Storm Front 3. Name of the Wind 2. Prince of Thorns 1. Age of Myth

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'm excited to start some Riyria.

[@robpaul7544]

Really need to start keeping track of which books I read when 😂 things start to blur 😅 But, jumping out in no order Sixteen ways to defend a walled city - KJ Parker The Wrong Dead Guy - Richard Kadrey A Little Hatred - Joe Abercrombie The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn - Tyler Whitesides Kellanved's Reach - Ian C Esslemont The Grey Bastards - Jonathan French Rejoice - Steven Erikson Second collected tales of Bauchelain & Korbal Broach - Steven Erikson Plague of Giants - Kevin Hearne Moon over Soho - Ben Aaronovitch King of Ashes - Raymond Feist Bloody Rose - Nicholas Eames Oh.. that's over 10 already, been a good year! I'll start keeping track next year. Probably. Possibly 😆 Have a great holiday bud. 🤘🤓

[@mikesbookreviews]

This is the whole reason I started a Goodreads account; just to keep track of what I’ve read and want to read. I’ve heard those Jonathan French books are grimdarky goodness.

[@robpaul7544]

@@mikesbookreviews They are cool! I mean half-orcs riding hogs.. as in actual oinking boars.. Definitely want to read more 😁 I usually just buy what I want to read and rarely plan my tbr ahead - have about 30 new books ready to go atm and more incoming this month.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@robpaul7544 Sounds like 2020 is taken care of. Enjoy!

[@ves138]

so I am a slow reader so i will make a top 8 instead of a top 10 so here it is: 8. The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol 7. What If Time Doesn't Exist? by Carlo Rovelli 6. The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene 5. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 4. Prince Of Fools by Mark Lawrence 3. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 2. The Liar's Key by Mark Lawrence 1. The Wheel Of Osheim by Mark Lawrence I am aware the list is full of Lawrence but he is my favourite author and he hasn't let me down yet. Great list Mike I am so excited to finish The Blade Itself tomorrow. I am 460/ 515 pages in and it is still so strong, if it has a good ending then it just might go neck to neck with The Wheel Of Osheim as my faovurite book of the year.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'm considering slipping in Emperor of Thorns before my trip just so I can start clean with Red Queen's War in 2020. So glad you're liking Blade Itself. Just know that they only get better in that trilogy.

[@ves138]

Mike's Book Reviews i am super excited about it! The characters are just so good.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@ves138 Say one thing about Joe Abercrombie; say he knows how to make you care about shady characters.

[@ves138]

@@mikesbookreviews I think if you enjoy the setting enough after reading EoT you def should read Red Queen's War. RQW explores the setting and the side characters alot (it feels like an integral part of the story) but also the focus is on the characters. The characters are awesome and it is more ona comedic side, quite the opposite of the main cast of The Broken Empire.

[@davids2735]

My top 10: 1) The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter 2) Dark Age by Pierce Brown 3) Ruin by John Gwynne 4) Blood of Assassins by RJ Barker 5) The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson 6) The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan 7) The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung 8) Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence 9) The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell 10) Starsight by Brandon Sanderson Honorable Mention: The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams

[@mikesbookreviews]

I really want to do some Powder Mage and Faithful & The Fallen in 2020 as well as some more Mark Lawrence. I've heard the Book of the Ancestor is classic. Should be doing Rage of Dragons in a few weeks.

[@davids2735]

@@mikesbookreviews those are all great options! Book of the Ancestor was fantastic and so were the other three mentioned. Happy reading!

[@Hadrian1616]

My favourite books of 2019? Well. I've read over 350 books now and I find that I am becoming harder to please. In the beginning the first 20+ books were incredibly formative to my style and preferences. All other books get subconsciously compared to those first 20. Perhaps it is just me. Sometimes I'm like a Fantasy book addict searching to replicate the feeling of those first 20+ books knowing that nothing will come close. It puts me off at times, and yet, I love reading Fantasy. I will keep searching. Is anyone else like this? At all. 🤔

[@mikesbookreviews]

I definitely get it. That's why I take breaks between series and genres. I'll have a moment, soon I'm sure, where I'll stop reading fantasy and just do 3-4 Stephen King books in a row to break the monotony.

[@bououdenahmed779]

I'm interested in that list sir if you can share it here.. I'll be so thankful

[@PizzaNife]

Man I'm the opposite of you, I'm a crime/thriller/espionage guy who is just now dipping some toes in the fantasy world

[@mikesbookreviews]

What fantasy books are you dipping into?

[@Rajathon]

For me its 11-22-63 , American Gods, The Black Prism, Murder on the Orient Express, and a self published book called Wildcat by J.P. Harker.

[@mikesbookreviews]

One day I'll finally read American Gods. I've never read a Gaiman book. No idea why.

[@Rajathon]

@@mikesbookreviews Yeah read my 1st one this year I like him so far

[@burge2695]

I've read Ender's game like 5x ..one of my favorite books

[@mikesbookreviews]

It’s excellent.

[@encapsulatio]

If you were to create your ultimate "fictional" overpowered fantasy writer what other authors skill sets would you incorporate? I imagine it going something like this: MY overpowered fantasy writer would have Brandon Sanderson's ability to do this....,it would have Abercrombie's ability to .... etc.

[@mikesbookreviews]

That's a crazy good question. I think I'd have the Stephen King ability to write a young pre-teen protagonist and his/her close friends in a coming of age story at an academy before going off to war where you have Pierce Brown's ability to write military science-fiction and Joe Abercrombie's talents at describing the horrors of war.

[@Mark-iv6yg]

The long walk is quiet and poignant, best served cold is an uncompromising and unforgiving tale and Red Rising is added to the growing TBR list! Just starting my thirtieth book of the year: Persepolis Rising... A few of my favourites from ‘19 would be Skin Game by Jim Butcher, Stranger In A Strange Land by R. A. Heinlein and Interesting Times by Sir Terry Pratchett Keep up the good work in 2020!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'm excited to keep going on Dresden and I'm excited more are giving Red Rising a go.

[@Mark-iv6yg]

Mike's Book Reviews you will not regret reading the Dresden Files!

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@Mark-iv6yg Of this I am sure.

[@fictionalreality1010]

Ok this a series question? 50 BOOKS IN A year...hell yeah...my question is how do you keep the characters separate when you go from Author to Author?

[@jorgemedina8083]

I haven’t read any Stephen King, but I’m going to start with The Shining, Carrie, and Salem’s Lot, of those three, which should I read first?

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'd probably say Carrie or Shining is the best to start with. Salem's Lot, while great, can be jarring because there's so many characters since it does the transformation of a whole community.

[@jorgemedina8083]

Mike's Book Reviews thank you! I really want to read The Shining so I think I’ll tackle that one first. Followed by Carrie and then the hard one, Salem’s lot

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@jorgemedina8083 Shining is spooky. It deserves the reputation it has.

[@jtlivin]

I enjoyed the first three books of the Red Rising saga, but wish he had quit at that point. I was about 60 pages into the fourth book and had to DNF.

[@normmcdonald1347]

I haven’t seen #1 yet but Golden Son hasn’t been mentioned yet and that is a masterpiece if I do say so myself😂

[@normmcdonald1347]

Just finished, knew you couldn’t leave that one out😂

[@mikesbookreviews]

Ha ha didn't want to spoil it. I truly think the series will be a sci-fi classic a couple of decades from now. So good.

[@jmoney12ization]

They are making a tv series and brown says he is really trying to do it right. Which he better. It deserves some attention. Could be next GoT.

[@burge2695]

Dude there's just not enough time for everything..im reading dune..words of radiance..and i know i have the long walk in my closet...now i wanna start that..i just need to pause time for about 5 years 😩😞😅

[@mikesbookreviews]

I’d like to clone myself, honestly.

[@alexisdumas84]

If you like short stories that are weaved together into a greater whole, have you read the first *Hyperion* book?

[@mikesbookreviews]

It is on my 2020 TBR list!

[@alexisdumas84]

@@mikesbookreviews Oh awesome! I look forward to that video. It narrowly beats out the OG Dune for my top Sci-Fi book. On a related note: a lot of people say that the second book, _The Fall of Hyperion_ isn't good or that you don't need to read it. *Ignore these ignorant people!* _Fall_ is an insanely amazing book, and really does a great job wrapping up Hyperion and being awesome and satisfying. It's not as literary as the previous book, so it's not really as good, but it is almost there.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@alexisdumas84 It has been on my radar for a couple of years. After I started reading The Expanse books and really liked them folks said I'd like Hyperion. Dune is my favorite book ever, so this is one heck of a recommendation.

[@alexisdumas84]

@@mikesbookreviews Hyperion isn't anything like the Expanse, so that's an interesting route of coming by the book, lol. _God Emporer of Dune_ is still my favorite book of all time, though. The Dune Chronicles as a whole are 100x better than Hyperion Cantos, especially with how the themes in the first book are developed by Herbert over the following books. Speaking of which, my recommendation of Hyperion comes with the caveat that it's kind of retroactive; i.e. I reconsidered the first book knowing what I knew after having read Fall of Hyperion.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@alexisdumas84 I think it's more of "hey, you like reading space science-fiction? Here's something I recommend" more than it being similar. Man, I wish casuals would read through God Emperor. I would love to see the fragile minds of today try and process God Emperor.

[@BradFitzpatrick1]

Choosing "Storm Front" over "The Lies of Locke Lamora" is downright unfathomable to me.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Heh. I can see that for most. LoLL just didn’t click with me like everyone else. Whereas Dresden filled that Buffy/Angel hole that has been in my heart the last 15 years since they left the air.

[@0bscenity]

Dude, I totally agree about The Long Walk. It's totally top 10 SK material, although my top 5 is locked up pretty tight. Here's what I've read so far this year, with about half of it being rereads. One book in particular I'd like to mention because I don't hear it mentioned enough is Battle Mage by Peter Flannery. It has demons, dragons, zombies and of course, battle mages. I found it very hard to put down. www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2019/4685916?

[@mikesbookreviews]

That's an impressive list. My wife is reading Watership Down right now and enjoying it. Every year I always say it's going to be the year I read Eddings and Glen Cook. We'll see! I'll add the Lannery books to my Goodreads.

[@0bscenity]

Watership Down is outside my normal range of interest, but it has been one of my favorite books since about 5th grade. This year was the first time I had read it in 10 or 15 years, and it's still fantastic. I liked what I've read of Eddings (The Belgariad), but I didn't love it. Same with Cook. I read the first three Black Company books and enjoyed them somewhat, but not enough to purchase the next omnibus. I think my literary taste has just become modernized. I didn't even make it through LOTR the last time I picked it up. I dropped Fellowship after about 150 pages. I loved it in junior high.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@0bscenity I have to be in the mood for "classic" fantasy. I do re-read LotR every couple of years because I just love it so much. But anything pre-2000's has to come highly recommended before I'll give it a go, usually. But this is just because I feel like fantasy was dumbed down or just trying to emulate LotR prior to this millennium.

[@markovukman1308]

The hungar games ripped of battel royal

[@seanmoffitt1190]

Heir to the Empire!

[@PsychKingler]

You can't sell me on red rising man. I bought it on audible because I work a 12 hour night shift and am always looking for new books but I got about 6 hours in and returned it. It felt like it was written by a 16 year old kid. It didn't help that the narrator was absolutely terrible but the first person writing style didn't help. Unless book 2 is really 100 times better I will not be going back

[@skwirlnone1543]

Long walk is the best book he ever did.

[@heraldofmorning3219]

I’m waiting to see a WoT book on this list, lol

[@mikesbookreviews]

I'm thinking it'll happen.

[@JLchevz]

Is it just me or this video is a little quiet?

[@Hadrian1616]

The Lord Ruler....., not on this list. 😱 *Brandon Sanderson would like to know your location* *Skyward flight has been dispatched.*

[@mikesbookreviews]

Oathbringer was my #11, I swear! Next year I'm planning to do Warbreaker and the Way & Wayne books. Then I want to do a Stormlight retrospective leading up to the release of Rhythm of War.

[@Hadrian1616]

@@mikesbookreviews...mike, I'm with you all the way man. 👍

[@Hadrian1616]

@@mikesbookreviews ...#11? So close to 10. I guess it got beat out by that hack Stephen King. 😉😉😉 /s

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@Hadrian1616 Heh. That middle Shadesmar section killed Oathbringer for me in some ways. I feel like it'll be better in a re-read when the first 5 book portion is finished. Lord Ruler doesn't do anything for no reason.

[@Hadrian1616]

Merry chrismistborn. Safe, happy journeys Mike. Koloss head Munching day is tomorrow. Eeeeeeeeeeee 😃

[@jadapandy]

You and Daniel Green are too much alike. You need to be a leader, not a follower. Read things TOTALLY different than him!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I’ve never let anything Daniel has talked about influence my video or TBR list outside of Wheel of Time. It’s purely coincidental.

[@normmcdonald1347]

jadapandy I disagree, I’ve been really enjoying his content over the past few months since I subbed

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@normmcdonald1347 Thank you. Daniel's channel is awesome but I'm not trying to emulate him at all. I'm not nearly as entertaining or witty.

[@encapsulatio]

You don't need to,you just have to have better book recommendations,read lesser known authors...and recommend their "possibly" better books.

[@mikesbookreviews]

@@encapsulatio I know Daniel and I tend to read a lot of similar books because those are the ones that get recommended the most within the fantasy community. I'll never let someone else's channel dictate what I do on my own, but I like to give watchers and commentors what they want to hear me talk about. With lesser known/talked about series, if it doesn't get the traffic, I stop talking about it. Lightbringer, Demon Cycle, Broken Empire, etc. were all duds. Only reason I keep forcing Red Rising is because I want more people to try it.