My Priority Reads For 2025

[@RPisa2416]

The Stand is one of my favorites plus the audiobook is fantastic so that will help you out through the “slower” parts and give your eyes a break. Side note: pulling for the Steelers to absolutely destroy the birds this Sunday!

[@TomOrange]

Always love a good audio book. I would love for the Steelers to beat the Eagles but our next game against the Ravens in the important game. If we win that we win the division

[@AlysterJohnEstur]

Looks like a great list! I don't really recommend stuff on Booktube videos, but one SK book that barely gets discussed is Duma Key. It's his best work prose-wise and it deserves more love.

[@TomOrange]

Love hearing about an underrated king book

[@esmayrosalyne]

Really admire how realistic and manageable your goals are, I always go way overboard with all the commitments out of pure excitement hahahah. Hope all of these live up to your expectations! Happy reading :))

[@TomOrange]

When I started youtube I promised myself to not over commit to buddy reads and things like that. I really just like to read what I want to read

[@esmayrosalyne]

@@TomOrange You need to share some of this self-restraint with me hahahah

[@ReadingThroughLife]

Looks like a very interesting list! I finally read 11/22/63 last month and I loved it! One of the best books I've ever read. Certainly one of the best by Stephen King. I look forward to hearing you take on it when you get to it.

[@TomOrange]

I think 11/22/63 could be a new a favorite for me

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Dude what a stacked lineup for next year!! I’m so pumped for you to get into Sun Eater 💪 Don’t forget Darien and the Empire of Salt trilogy!

[@TomOrange]

Darien is still floating around!

[@thegreatwaugh]

Awesome list of upcoming books! If that's not enough for you, you should add the Realm of the Elderlings! I can't remember if you read the series yet or not, but I'm working through it now. Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere is on my list for next year. I haven't read a single book by him, so I need to get on it.

[@TomOrange]

I have not yet read any Realm of the Elderlings and i keep pushing my read off. I hope you enjoy the cosmere I read it all in 2023 (what was published at the time) and had a really good time with it. Stormlight stands above everything else in my opinion.

[@NerdLevelRising]

YES can't wait to continue hearing your thoughts on sun eater and malazan 🙌

[@TomOrange]

Really looking forward to reading more of them

[@dicamba95]

Sounds like a good plan! My priorities are Dandelion Dynasty, the expanse and I want to read some more Anthony Ryan because I read one of his trilogies this year and really enjoyed it.

[@TomOrange]

The expanse is such a good time. Make sure you read the novellas

[@nikosbookreviews]

Can't wait to see what you think about the next WoLaS arc! I have also been meaning to get to Empire of Silence for way too long lol

[@TomOrange]

Im looking forward to both of them!

[@savannahsavvyreads]

Good list! I’m almost 50% through with Empire of Silence right now. It’s good - but I might put it down for now, because I don’t think I’m in the mood for it. I don’t want that to impact my enjoyment of it! Happy reading 🎉

[@TomOrange]

Nothing wrong with that!

[@RANTSRUS]

I'm fairly new to the Fantasy genre. Back when I was a teenager I read Lord of the Rings, American Gods and Dune. A few years back as an adult I actually read the Percy Jackson and Harry Potter series. That got me back interested in reading fantasy. Ever since then been obsessed with The Dresden Files and Brian McClellan's The Powder Mage Trilogy. Highly recommend both of them. You mentioned the Sun Eater series on here, haven't read it yet but going to read it after I get done reading the Red Rising books which is a must finish for me this year. For years people been recommending Brandon Sanderson so I picked up Mistborn. So far halfway through and its been a slog. Everyone seems to love it but its a real slow read for me. I'm still going to finish it and try out some more Sanderson's books this year. John Gwynne's The Shadow of the Gods is on my must read series this year. Loved the video, Happy reading.

[@TomOrange]

Suneater is a scifi fantasy mix so you kind of kind the best of both worlds apparently. The Shadow of the Gods is good time. I just recently finished the trilogy and recommended reading them all kind of close together.

[@RANTSRUS]

@@TomOrange Kool definitely gonna check it out after I finish Red Rising. I got a question, do you recommend Audible books or know any good ones to check out there for new fantasy readers? Cause I listened to the Dresden Files on there and it was amazing but I've heard others on there that was terrible. I was just wondering if Suneater was on there and was a good audible book to get.

[@TomOrange]

@@RANTSRUS From what I hear the Dresden Files has one of the best audio editions out there. I personally enjoy Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. They have done a lot of different books

[@BookishChas]

Awesome goals Tom! I want to start Suneater next year as well. I’ve been wanting to check out Le Carre, so I’ll be curious to see what you think of his spy series.

[@TomOrange]

I think the Le Carre novels are going to be right up my ally. I think you might like them too with how much you enjoy agatha christie

[@tordawg69]

@@TomOrangeI also want to check out Le Carre. From what I understand, I’m pretty sure he was an actual spy for MI5 or something. I think that’s what irked him about the Bond books and inspired him to write.

[@erinsugita6586]

11/22/63 is my all time favorite book. I devoured it in 3 days, it was definitely a page turner and one of my best reads ever. Enjoy!

[@TomOrange]

I have a feeling its going to be really high on my rankings

[@brentandrews6960]

I think 11/23/63 has a chapter in Derry, the town from IT. May be worth reading IT first if you haven't already done so. Awesome list!

[@TomOrange]

I have read It. Cool to hear Derry gets a cameo

[@nuanceofficial9140]

Really appreciate your videos, man! They make my days a lot better (: I'm trying to read more, especially this coming year. I'm prioritizing First Law for sure and I'd like to start Suneater

[@TomOrange]

Thanks for watching! I still need to read the First Law

[@nuanceofficial9140]

@TomOrange JUST srarted the blade itself but its awesone so far!

[@BookSquirrelUK]

I’m (loosely!) aiming to read some Arthur C Clarke and some Bernard Cornwell (I’ve not read any of theirs yet) and I’ll probably finish The First Law trilogy. I’m also hoping to read a C.S. Lewis biography, and The Girls by Emma Cline. There are plenty of others though, but I’m a mood reader, so I don’t worry too much about planning my reading.

[@TomOrange]

I’ve enjoyed the Arthur C Clarke I’ve read. It does have the old school sci-fi feel

[@noname3609]

Awesome! For me its Malazan, Stormlight 5,One Piece(Will end in April next year),Dandelion Dinasty,Farseer Trilogy and maybe The Suneater. ❤

[@TomOrange]

Some heavy hitters! One Piece is going to end in April?

[@noname3609]

@@TomOrange Hopefully! Oda is taking breakes ocasionally due some health issues.He's sleeping 3 hours per night for 20 years already while working on One Piece daily, he is no human!I really want to witness the end of my favourite manga of all time. 😁

[@patriciamorrison7671]

I loved Demon Copperhead in audio. The narrator is exceptional! A 5 star for me.

[@TomOrange]

I’ll be doing it on audio so that’s good to hear!

[@papartusedmcrsk]

Empire of Silence has been sitting on my shelf for months. All the rave reviews make me hesitant to start it because I dont want to get sucked in and abandon my Bingo card to just binge-read all of them.

[@TomOrange]

My motto is Read what you want when you want

[@LeeReads]

I'm currently reading sun eater #1 and it's fun!

[@TomOrange]

Im looking forward to it!

[@ChaptersWeLove]

Oh Sun eater is sooo good!

[@TomOrange]

Im ready for it

[@MacScarfield]

What would you say is your personal favorite of Hemingway’s stories? Excited to hear you thoughts on «Sun Eater», and while John le Carre’s writing and protagonists are rarely straightforward, especially «Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy» is well worth the effort (also the Wizard Spy Achamian reads quite clearly to me to be inspired by le Carre’s spy characters)! My own SFF/Historical Fiction 2025 TBR list: «Doom of Destiny» (Sundered Nation #3) by Vaughn Roycroft (Epic/Historical Fantasy inspirert by the Historical Ancient Goths and the Rohirrim of Tolkien, with a dash of «Dune») «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 (Alt-History Fiction, about an imagined granddaughter of the Composer Edvard Grieg living in Fascist Rome, torn between her creative dreams of creating an 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 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) «Bloodstone» & «Dark Crusade» by Karl Edward Wagner (Both in the «Kane» series, S&S/Proto-Grimdark) «Lancelot» by Giles Kristian (Arthurian Fantasy/Historical Fiction) «Sun Eater» 3-6: «Demon in White», «Kingdoms of Death», «Ashes of Men» & «Disquiet Gods» by Christopher Ruocchio (Space Opera) «Navola» by Paolo Bacigalupi (Political Fantasy inspired by Renaissance Italy & «The Godfather») «Carthage Ascendant» by Mary Gentle (Book of Ash #2, Alt-Historical Military Fiction inspired by the Mercenary Wars of the Renaissance) «The Blood Dimmed Tide» by Stephen Aryan (Historical Fantasy inspired by the Mongol Conquest of Persia) «Firelord» by Parke Godwin (Arthurian Historical Fiction) «Women of Troy» by Pat Barker (Historical Fiction take on the Iliad, from the perspective of Achilles’ and Agamemnon’s «War Bride» Briseis) «The Crystal Cave» by Mary Stewart (Arthurian Fantasy from the perspective of Merlin) «The Wolf Den» by Elodie Harper (Historical Fiction set in the, eh, «Red Light District» of Ancient Pompeii) «Informocracy» by Malka Older (Cyberpunk) «Brothers of the Wind» by Tad Williams (Prequel to «Memory, Sorrow & Thorn», Epic Fantasy) «The Folding Knife» by KJ Parker (Political Fantasy) «Pompeii» by Robert Harris (Historical Crime Fiction, set against the Destruction of Pompeii) «The Bright Sword» by Lev Grossman (Arthurian Fantasy) «Augustus» by John Williams (Epistolary Historical Fiction about the Eponymous Roman Emperor’s Life) The “Aspect Emperor» series by R. Scott Bakker (Epic Dark/Grimdark Fantasy, sequel series to «The Prince of Nothing» Trilogy) «Written in the Dark» by Guy Gavriel Kay (Published in 2025, Fantasy inspired by Medieval France) Cheers!

[@TomOrange]

That is quite the list! The Old Man and the Sea is my favorite Hemingway. I will say that I think Leviathan Falls is a great ending to the expanse and I plan on reading Butchers Crossing by Williams in 2025

[@HummingbirdG6843]

I'm thinking of dipping my toes into Stephen King. The stand does sound interesting

[@TomOrange]

I’ve read a lot of King this year and it’s been very enjoyable

[@kurtschumacher8074]

Brian Lee Durfee!!!

[@TomOrange]

His awesome!

[@kylewilliams7372]

Dude! You are the first KZbin channel that has mentioned litrpg you need to read he who fights with monsters!

[@TomOrange]

You should go check out my friends channel Belltube. His a litrpg expert!

[@KVP94Guitar]

I personally thought the Stand was WAAAAYYY overrated. If you like fantasy, I think you may like it more though as it read more like a dark fantasy novel than a post apocalyptic novel. Swan Song on the other hand truly is a horror post apocalyptic novel. It's dark and gritty and doesn't hold back on any of the messed up stuff that happens.

[@TomOrange]

I really like both of the genres you mentioned so I think they both may scratch a different itch

[@Chance.Dillon]

I too need to jump into the rest of the five warrior angels 😂😂

[@Chance.Dillon]

And the stand was incredible

[@TomOrange]

I feel like its right up your ally man

[@titantv4567]

Yeah, Sun Eater is number 1 priority.

[@TomOrange]

good choice!

[@nazzo84]

Any ever say u could be Henry Cavill stunt double

[@TomOrange]

I do get that from time to time