Monthly Wrap Up & Book of the Month: November 2023

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

An ARC that you loved is definitely a legitimate choice for book of the month, Mike. Also, putting family over the KZbin channel, or any other hobby, is always the wisest choice, and you have my total respect and support for that!

[@alynam82]

I think choosing an ARC as your book of the month is probably the highest compliments to Jay Kristoff. No better way to get people excited for an upcoming release!

[@regulah2125]

Okay I couldn't be more excited for Empire of the Damned now. The fact that it beat out Tiamat's Wrath for you.. And that book was something else.

[@dinocollins720]

Another fantastic video! Thank you Mike!!!

[@nomadicnovels]

i’m someone who has decided to buy pillars and read it next year 😂 i love historical fiction and you’ve sold me

[@CNavo.TheNextChapter]

Jay Kristoff is still an author I have yet to read books from. I hope to change that in 2024. Enjoy your Dec reads Mike!

[@leezirkle7840]

2 people I'd love to see on your Talk About Nothing, is Cameron Chaney from Library Macabre and Amy McCaw from Amy McCaw. They are both authors as well as have You Tube channels.

[@jakobwetzel7065]

Mike! Just finished Recursion. Read it in a 26 hour period. Could not put it down. Crouch is the master slump buster. I’ve read two of his and jazzed to start the Pines series.

[@davidgould3297]

Rereads are great. I mix them in with new things every year. Don’t cut yourself off Mike if you really want to go back to a great story.

[@BenLaSoul908]

I actually just started Streets of Laredo and that book has just as much quality readability as lonesome dove did

[@tyarak5669]

I’m reading empire of the vampire In anticipation of the new book so I’m very happy to hear you loved it.

[@jasonvizcarra709]

Read some dragon lance for the 1st time and currently reading Crystal Shard. I’m completely hooked and have no desire to read anything else outside of D&D. My TBR is wrecked

[@pugshorty9852]

That's a good problem to have. :-)

[@rumi885]

Definitely want to start with the Expanse series now too

[@WondorBooks]

I'm so excited for EotD... Cannot wait! Glad you also make that Witcher comparison, EotV gave me major Witcher vibes, and as a massive witcher fan, so far Empire might actually scratch that itch better than the witcher did. 😬Don't worry about the numbers too much, just try and have a good time. We'll be here to watch!

[@MacScarfield]

In November I finished «The Name of the Wind» by Patrick Rothfuss, «Hild» by Nicola Griffith (Historical Fiction set among the 7th Century Anglo Saxons) and the «Siege» Trilogy by KJ Parker (Satirical Fantasy). My December TBR «Brother Red» by Adrian Selby (Grimdark Fantasy, standalone «mid-quel» to «Snakewood» and its standalone prequel «The Winter Road» inspired by Trading Companies such as the Hanseatic League or the East India Company) «After Rome» by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fiction set in a Post-Roman Britain) «The River of Stars» by Guy Gavriel Kay (Fantasy inspired by Song Dynasty China) «Bold Ascension» by Vaughn Roycroft (which I am expecting any day now!) My December MBR «Alv Erlingsson» by Tore Skeie (Historical Fiction about a 13th Century Norwegian Jarl who became a Privateer and Rebel) «Judas Blossom» by Stephen Aryan (Fantasy inspired by the Mongol Conquest of Persia) For 2024 I plan to start with «Stonehenge» by Bernard Cornwell (about the Creation of Stonehenge during the Neolithic Period), «Imperium» by Robert Harris (about the Roman Politician Cicero), «Når Landet Mørknar» (approx.: «When the Land Darkens”) by Tore Kvæven (set in the Norse Settlement of Greenland during the 13th Century, winner of the Norwegian Brage Prize for Best Norwegian Novel in 2018), «Egil Skallagrimsson» by Halvor Tjønn (about the (in-)famous 10th Century Icelandic Viking & Skald who became a Bloodsworn Enemy of the Norwegian Viking King Eirik Bloodaxe), «The Dragon Lord» by David Drake (Arthurian S&S), «The Last Light of the Sun» by Guy Gavriel Kay and the «Lyonesse» Trilogy by Jack Vance!

[@angelaholmes8888]

Here's what I read Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson The mind series by s.t abby Waypoints by sam heugen memoir Back to the prairie by melissa Gilbert memoir Practical magic by alice Hoffman Savage run by cj box All I want for Christmas by Maggie knox Window shopping by tessa bailey Kulti by Mariana Zapata Holly by Stephen king Your a mean one Matthew prince

[@noname3609]

One Piece is real ❤

[@sjkrum320]

Half way through Pillars of the Earth! Loving it so much. Now I need you and Philip Chase to get on here and talk about this book. Not sure if he's read it, but I would be so here for that conversation!

[@christiancalhoun4576]

Would absolutely love to watch a monthly podcast of you and Christopher. I think both of you bounce off of one another very well, and create, super interesting content!

[@ozkantd]

A couple monthly wrap ups ago you talked about how you were a bit disappointed with the viewership of your One Piece video, since then it seems it has skyrocketed to ~18k views. With that in mind any new thoughts on another One Piece video for the end of the big arcs?

[@esmayrosalyne]

Every time I hear you talk about the Expanse I remember that I still need to continue that TV show, haha. I dropped off after S3, for no good reason. Glad you are enjoying the finale so much, that's all you can ask for after such a chonky and epic journey! Looking forward to all the end of the year content! And you never have to justify taking a little step back, family first! You owe us nothing and I will happily support you, no matter how many uploads you give us ;) Happy reading, Mike ☺

[@drugless85]

December I'll be finishing up the dandelion dynasty and age of madness series. After that I will be starting up Shogun as well. I want to have that done before the TV series starts. Planning 2024 to be the year I finally start the cosmere, won't be caught up by stormlight 5 release probably but will get there eventually.

[@safinan8008]

Thank you for the update 🎉

[@sugarbunify]

Hi Mike! 🥰 I’m one of your new subscribers. I picked up Robin Hobb’s Farseer trilogy because of your channel last month (halfway into book 2 now!), and I picked up “The Blade Itself” this week, too. :) I think we have a lot of similarities in terms of book tastes having watched your thoughts on a lot of other books/writers over the course of the last month or so, and it’s been a pleasure hearing you talk about the books you’ve enjoyed. :D I’m sure the views going down isn’t so much your content as it is the holidays being super present. I’ve had very little time to indulge in free-time, myself. I read the first book in The Expanse earlier this year, and I’m looking forward to the special editions coming out for books 2-3 later this month! ♥ Have you seen them?? They’re really cool! Sprayed edges with new cover art! 😍 I hope they do the rest of the series! I got the first one’s special edition gifted to me, and now I’m gonna have to collect all of them in that format ahaha GoodReads has its issues with lag and WebUI for sure, but it’s been around for forever so it’s usually my go-to to track reviews and the like since I’m so used to using it. A lot of people have issues with it because it’s owned by Amazon now, but for me I just wish it were easier for me to organize things. 🥲 Especially after their new update which hides a lot of data. I’ve been using StoryGraph for that, though, and it’s been handy! Have you tried it out? I like the way you can look at a breakdown of tags and shelves at a glance, and their UI is very clean and simple. It’s also a great way to sus out books that have topics that make you uncomfortable so you’re aware beforehand on a read. Eh… I won’t support Jay Kristoff after all the drama with him (and having disliked Aurora Rising to the extent that I did lol), but I’m glad that you enjoyed his new book! It’s always exciting to get early copies of books from authors we like. 🥰 I hope you have a great week ahead! Make sure to spend lots of time with your family. c: It’s always important!

[@hannahbrennan2131]

I'm currently reading Malazan Book 3, The Legend of Drizzt Book 1, and The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice.

[@Ulmo90]

Pet Senatary or Of Blood and Fire were my book of the month

[@Talking_Story]

I am all for your book of the month pick I cannot wait for it!

[@Tony_Pesta]

Finished Salem's Lot and The Shining in November! I'm reading Different Seasons now, halfway through Apt Pupil. Next up: 11/22/63, Doctor Sleep and Misery I plan on finally tackling IT after all that

[@misternegative4918]

Excited for Empire of the Damned, especially after hearing this. My top book was probably Pillars of the Earth. It also helps that it took me so long to finish, but it was incredible, and very out of my comfort zone.

[@jackiesliterarycorner]

I'm currently reading The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell, Anglo-Saxon Attitudes by Angus Wilson, and Silmarillion by Tolkien. I did start Mordew by Alex Pheby along with Lonesome Dove.

[@AndreDeSimone-dy1cz]

I read Mort, which was an exciting intro to Pratchett, Grave Peril, which was the first Dresden that I loved, Heart Shaped Box, and The Death of Ivan Ilych, all of which were great reads, but it wasn't even close this month. Book of the month was Watchmen by a big margin, I loved every panel of it. I'm reading the Great Hunt now, Empire of the Vampire next, and then Licanius Trilogy back to back

[@BrianBell7]

Awesome month wrap-up Mike! It must feel weird finishing ROTE and The Expanse simultaneously. Exciting 2024 ahead! I would never think you aren't honest when it comes to reading intentions months out and then life happens. Besides, in the immortal words of the poet Costanza, "It's not a lie, if you believe it."

[@fithfath3615]

Hi Mike, I had a good reading month in November. Managed to get through 2 short stories, 1 anthology, 2 novels and 2 comic books. All good reading too, which is always a nice bonus. Books: In Bloom - Paul Tremblay The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka Cursed - Fantasy Anthology (with curses as the theme) Spiderlight - Adrian Tchaikovsky The Broken Sword - Poul Anderson Comic Books: The Citadel - Judge Dredd Judge Dredd - The Complete Case Files 35 Book of the month was The Broken Sword. Interestingly enough published in the same year as LOTR. Cursed was a close second.

[@adamborst]

You've inspired me to finish The Expanse. I got through the first 8 books before book 9 was released and then I had some form of anxiety around finishing the series that I have enjoyed so much. I may not get through it in December, but I'll definitely start it. Have a Happy Holiday Season and thanks for the content!

[@Michael_L_Morrison]

I read 5 books in November. My book of the month is Winter's Fury, book 1 in the Furyck Saga, by A.E. Rayne. I really enjoyed that book, and while there were many characters, it didn't take long to get vested in them.

[@Johanna_reads]

Wonderful that you'll be interviewing Dave Grohl again! 😜Glad to hear his sequel was so good! Happy reading!

[@lockdowntechie3122]

Will you review Pillars ?

[@thebookborough]

I can't wait to start the Expanse series, the Legend of Drizzt series (just purchased the first book a couple weeks ago), and I hope to read Pillars of the Earth next year. I've read his Century Trilogy and A Place Called Freedom, and thoroughly enjoyed both. My November fav is a tie between A Place Called Freedom and Wolf of Wessex.

[@neondemon5137]

Make sure to read the expanse short stories aka Memory's Legion if you haven't. Some unresolved things come to light.

[@hannahbrennan2131]

At what point in the series should it be read?

[@benconlin3557]

It’s a novella but I’m gunna pick The Exile as my BOTM. I wanted more Dayne and Bellina and got what I wanted in this book, loved it and loving Of War and Ruin despite it taking me weeks 😂

[@henryorhank]

Finally read the first law trilogy this month, hoping for the standalones for Christmas

[@nflower33]

Read Empire of the Vampire and Demon in White and both are book of the month cause I can’t decide🤓

[@angelaholmes8888]

My book of the month is Te mind series by s.t abby i absolutely enjoyed this book its very similar to the tv series dexter and promising young women if you love those then you should check out the book 😊

[@briteskin]

I managed 3 books in November. Two first reads and a reread. Started a reread of Dune too but barely managed to get story moved to the spice planet this week. Still up in the air about new reads in December but also going to try to get a 'Cujo' reread in. 'Holly' by Stephen King was the better of the first reads. I liked it but I would preferred more distance from cultural/real world issues. I think it will be a more of an enjoyable on a reread when world events can be more of a time capsule thing. My favorite graphic novel read was 'Faust: Love of the Damned'. Not a comic for everyone!!! It is an independent black n white superhero horror comic that is very NC-17/XXX. Kind of crazy when realized that there was a movie based on it way before the MCU thanks to 'Spawn' and 'The Crow' successes.

[@MihaSimoniti]

I might have missed it in a previous video, but what's the status on Malazan? How is Toll the Hounds going?

[@crisfilms8165]

Have you read Chuck Palanuik's Fight Club?

[@toddwagner369]

Are you going to finish The Passage

[@Emroczart]

I read red rising series then read this immediately afterward and I think it made me not appreciate it as much cause red rising was so good

[@Cold_Zero_The_Wise]

Curious question, i see you swear at times on discord but i dont recall you doing it on KZbin, is the censorship that bad?

[@Newlotusdarma]

Read aprokmently 21 books

[@michaelgionti9988]

Hate to say it, Mike, but you’re gonna lose about 100 hours of watch time a month soon. Found your channel a few months back and have been watching pretty much everything you’ve put out since the beginning. I work from home so you’re in my ears about 6 hours a day haha. But I’m almost caught up!

[@chiefwiggum3131]

Tried to give a critique u didn’t take it well. Hope numbers get back up for u after holidays

[@hymnsarebeautiful6353]

Why are you so obsessed with viewer count? Just make fun videos and viewers will come.

[@harryl2232]

Hey Mike, would you read my book when I finish it?