Stories I'm Most Thankful For

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I can picture fourth-grade Jake picking up Eragon and experiencing the immersion that comes with fantasy for the first time. Like you, Jake, I’m thankful for the stories that grant us those transformative journeys. Also, though I’m not among the most dedicated Wheel of Time fans (I really like it!), I agree with you about the myth of the Slog. And, yes, there’s endless depth to explore in Malazan. Like you, I can’t wait for those The Broken Binding editions. Finally, I will do my best to forgive you for preferring the Jackson adaptation over the books when it comes to LOTR. 😂 Thank you for the video!

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy fourth-grade Jake was swept away so fully I fear he never fully returned! I'm hoping to do a re-read of LOTR in 2025 so perhaps I'll change my mind on my preferred format of the story now that I'm a more mature reader 😁 and glad you agree about the WOT "slog" being overly criticized!

[@christhewritingjester3164]

Solid list! My favorite books growing up were Call of the Wild and White Fang. Those types of stories still resonate with me. And I guess the series that got me back into reading after a long hiatus, Mistborn, would be on that list as well.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@christhewritingjester3164 Mistborn I know of course but I've actually never read either of those other ones!

[@christhewritingjester3164]

@NerdLevelRising Add in Seawolf and those are some must reads from Jack London.

[@Zivilin]

I loved the White Fang graphic novels adaptation when i found them in the school library as a kid. 💜

[@amy_harboredinpages]

Someone who shares my feelings about the WoT "slog"! What some call a slog I call it added character depth, and world building. It made what came with the 200 page battle even more satisfying. Imho. You had Harry Potter and Pendragon growing up, and I had Llyod Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain, and C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. I'm currently doing my 1st rereading of LotR, after 30 yrs., I figured it was time. Great video concept. 💙📚😊📖💙

[@safinan8008]

I do like lot of the books you got on ur list! 🎊

[@BookishChas]

What an awesome video Jake! So many good ones here. I had a blast reading Harry Potter when it was first really big. LOTR is a huge favorite of mine, but I like the movies slightly better too lol. The Inheritance Cycle was a really fun series for me too.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@BookishChas those are all such classics! Will always have a special place in our hearts :)

[@PaigeEscapes]

Loved this list and the reason you are most thankful for them. There are a few I’m incredibly grateful for ( help me escape), BUT if I have to say one it would be Harry Potter: it ignited my passion for reading & fantasy when I was 14/15 years old during my first long-term stay in hospital. It really helped me escape &, as I said ignited my passion for reading fantasy & sci-fi. I am now 38 & I always *have* to be reading at least one book. I am quite unwell, no chance of recovery & reading truly has been an absolute lifesaver for me. I love to both read and listen to some audiobooks ( audiobooks are great in hospital too at times to drown out the noise😅). sorry a bit tmi! But it’s nice to have others who can perhaps understand how important reading can be 🫣🙃☺️ I honestly love your channel and personality so much! You will be a huge channel! Ps- saw your Insta stories and you definitely deserved to win that bodybuilding comp! I don’t even need to see the other guy 😅 Great work and dedication ☺️ I hope that’s ok me saying this!

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@PaigeEscapes hi Paige! Thank you so much for all the immensely kind words :) and thank you for sharing part of your story! I'm very sorry to hear about your circumstances but I'm very happy to hear how much reading has been a shining light for you! Harry Potter in particular is truly magical in every sense of the word 😊

[@PaigeEscapes]

@ thank you so much for your kind words too! It’s ok- I’m used to this now. You have to adapt and accept things☺️ just thought I would share the reasoning behind that particular book.

[@esmayrosalyne]

You know, I feel like it's actually kinda concerning how many readers relate on such a deep emotional level to the characters in Stormlight because they are all one big mess hahahah. But yes, such powerful storytelling, and it hit me all just as hard on re-read! Also really need to get to Eragon myself, it's such a blind spot in my reading journey! And heck yes, LotR movies over the books all day every day hahaha. Same for me with Game of Thrones honestly, I fell in love with the show first and those actors just stole my heart. Loved this video, hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@esmayrosalyne you might have a point about the stormlight characters 😂😂😂 happy Thanksgiving!!

[@EricMcLuen]

Black Company. Can remember reading this going 'this is different'. And it was the first series I would constantly be checking the bookstore for the next one to come out. And without it, we wouldn't have the marines in Malazan.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@EricMcLuen I really want to get to the Black Company!!

[@CombativeRoboGuy]

HAHAHAHA, I swear I was just thinking about doing a video pretty similar to this a few days ago. The mind is so fascinating! And man you are making me even more excited to read Faithful and the Fallen.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@CombativeRoboGuy READ FAITHFUL AND THE FALLEN PLEASE IT'S SO GOOD

[@CombativeRoboGuy]

@@NerdLevelRising I will! I’m thinking I’ll get to it sometime next year. Probably after I finish Dandelion Dynasty or as a break between books 2 and 3.

[@irishknight6893]

Dude I absolutely love all the stuff you love it’s uncanny man !! I see your into body building as well..I used to do it for a bit and Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of my biggest heroes/inspirations from when I was a kid(I’m still huge fan of his films like a diehard),then as a teen I studied all his body building books/guides!still love how positive he is to this day! Also you say Sun Eater Dregs of empire is inspired by my fav anime Cowboy Bebop?!I know one of first stories from tales of Sun eater is inspired by BladeRunner..all my fav things I need to read more sun eater !! Also I need my berserk tattoo asap!! I relate with Guts so much I even had an accident as a kid where my right eye was hit with a tree branch the scar turned into bad cataract and was almost blind in my right eye(on outside looks normal) I even relate to that with Guts not having a right eye as well..also was about to have major red flags and unfollow when you say you relate to Griffith so much but then you said early Griffith 😅 ha

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@irishknight6893 hahahaha I definitely have to clarify my griffith comments 😂

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

Awesome list. The HP part got me in the feels.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels HP is so special 🙌

[@kingzzz6509]

It’s so apparent how passionate you are about these series and I love that. Mine would be: 1. Harry Potter (No series has meant as much to me) 2. The Chronicles of Narnia (C. S. Lewis is my inspiration as a writer) 3. The Faithful and the Fallen 4. Red Rising (For the thrill) 5. The Wheel of Time (Even though I’m only four books in) 6. The Dune Saga (Just the first three books though) 7. The Riyria Revelations (For swashbuckling fun and all-time characters/story) 8. The Lord of the Rings (For epic fantasy as we know it, even if it isn’t my favorite) 9. Percy Jackson (For being the reason that I am a reader and was my initial inspiration for writing) 10. Dresden Files (Showed me that you can have fun in writing) Also, the part you said about reading Harry Potter and immediately restarting the series was me 100%. I read and re-read the Harry Potter series seven times back to back in one year and it’s still not old.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@kingzzz6509 sounds like we're both due for another HP read 😁😂 love your list!!

[@kingzzz6509]

@@NerdLevelRising Always

[@brandon5080]

I have a lot of positive association with Wheel of Time and Drizzt because of my TTRPG days. These were books we were reading together. I was in two different RPG groups, and both of them had players that recommended the Wheel of Time. I fell into the world, and I fell into talking about that world and its characters. I re-read the first two books this year. I only got to book six. I'm hoping to re-read more next year and read to the end.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@brandon5080 oh man, yeah it would be amazing to finish wheel of time! The ending is so incredible

[@N.A.Summur]

The dementors are pretty scary… but I thought they were cool lol. Harry Potter was actually the first book I chose to read myself. Loved it. Read the second, started the third, and then my best friend at the time convinced me that I needed to read Redwall. I dropped the third book for Redwall and then was hooked on Redwall, reading many of the books before my first reading hiatus throughout Jr. High and High School. So I have to say I’m thankful for Redwall. Then, Mistborn is what got me back into reading. So I have to say Mistborn. Great video!

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@N.A.Summur I very much hope you eventually went back and finished reading Harry Potter!!! 😂

[@N.A.Summur]

@ I… did not… lol. I watched all the movies though! 😂

[@groofay]

I guess my top 6, in rough order of appearance: 1. Bridge to Terabithia - the first book that broke my heart and taught me about loss at exactly the right moment. The librarian who recommended it to me was either extremely good at her job, or a psychopath. Or both. 2. Animorphs - I just have really fond memories of reading this one. Also, the Scholastic book fairs. 3. Lord of the Rings, specifically the movies. I haven't read the books all the way through, and at this point I don't really care to. Come at me. Seeing them in theaters as a child was my awakening as a fantasy fan, full stop. 4. His Dark Materials - my first big non-Harry Potter book series, at a time when Potter-mania was absolutely rabid. There are other things! 5. Mistborn - Even though I probably won't like it anywhere near as much if/when I reread it, it got me back into reading after several years of education-related burnout. 6. Malazan - I've never felt so enfolded into the fabric of a world as in this one.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@groofay oh man the scholastic book fairs were the absolute best!!

[@Eluarelon]

Thinking about the books that had a very formative impact on me as a reader makes me realize how long I've already been at it. Newer Fantasy naturally can't have that impact because I'm pretty much set in my ways (comes with age), though I'll gladly give a shoutout to Philip Chase for putting me through an emotional wringer with his Edan trilogy in a way most modern fantasy can't replicate (and that's not meant to be critical, there's still tons of great stuff out there, it's just that I'm old(ish)). So thinking back my list would be something like this: 1. Grimm Fairy Tales, which my mother used to read to my brother and me when we were little kids, and which we eventually knew by heart. Instigated my love for folklore and myths and was the initial foundation stone that turned me into a reader of fantastic literature. 2. C.S. Lewis Narnia, the first real fantasy series I read myself and whose message I still love even when I eventually stopped sharing Lewis's beliefs. 3. Michael Ende Momo. Probably one of the most thought-provoking books I ever read, dealing with themes of time and what to do with it. If there's one fantasy author who crossed the line into high literature, I'd certainly give that to him. 4.Michael Ende Neverending Story. One of the most beautiful books I own, and again, while a fun fantasy romp on the surface it's still full of deep thoughts, and I think made me a better human being just by pointing out how idiotic bullying is, when I probably was in danger to become a bully myself. 5. J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Rings. Read this around age 12 or 13 and it completely changed my world. Read it at least once a year for the next 20 years until I stumbled about the next entry in the list. Will never stop loving it and as awesome as the movies were, they are a far cry from the brillance of those books (sorry, couldn't resist ;) ). 6. Robert Jordan Wheel of Time. Again opened a new world to me at a time where I was stuck with what I already knew and didn't even bother finding new stuff. Every modern author I read probably has to thank Mr. Jordan for reviving my curiosity and my willingness to expose myself to new stuff. And last but not least 7.Terry Pratchett Diskworld. Using fantasy in a satirical way to lovingly point out the flaws and errors of humanity is probably the most genius move in the history of fantasy literature. Like Michael Ende, he crossed the boundaries of fantasy literature. In my eyes, he's a literary giant. As far as sci-fi goes, it has mostly been the big TV and movie franchises for me. As far as books go, it's the usual suspects: Fahrenheit 451, 1984 and Brave New World. I might have to mention Perry Rhodan here, which is a German Scifi series published in dime-store novel format, the first issue being produced in 1961 (!) and telling an ongoing story about humanity in space beginning with the first-moonlanding. Just had another jubilee with issue 3300 being published and I used to collect it religiously in my teenage years and my early adulthood. Still read it from time to time.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@Eluarelon wow, what an amazing list! Thanks so much for sharing your formative stories 😊 and I totally agree on your point of newer books not really being able to have had that impact just due to reading them more recently, and also that Philip's books deserve a special shoutout nonetheless!

[@iSamwise]

The top books I’d say I’m thankful for is -Les Miserables, the story that showed me that fiction can change your life. -The Lord of the Rings, the book that enchanted my imagination for decades. -Book of the New Sun, the book that showed me I can read books in a deeper way, and challenged my expectations for how stories “ought to be told”. -Another Kingdom (but really any books by Andrew Klavan) In many ways deconstructed my sense of masculinity and reconstructed it again. Revealed what was in my heart and also healed wounds I didn’t know I had. -Sun Eater. I’ve become a better man for reading the series.

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@iSamwise I can't wait to get to BotNS! Should be in 2025 🙌

[@iSamwise]

@ Yessssss!!!! Gene Wolfe is brilliant!!!

[@Zivilin]

I need to get to Les Miserables. I loved the 2012 movie.

[@courtneyhale9132]

It's not a book, but I'm going to throw it out there anyway: The Legend of Zelda video games. I vividly remember watching my sister play Wind Waker when I was still in elementary school and having the first spark of storytelling ignite in me. It was the first time I had an idea for a story that I just had to go get down on paper. That was when I fell in love with story and fantasy! I read The Hobbit when I was 10, and remember that book being what made me fall in love with reading fantasy. (Other important books/series/stories to me have been the Bible, Eragon was another early read, Red Rising, and the King Killer Chronicles). I loved hearing what books you are thankful for and getting that look into why!

[@nightmarishcompositions4536]

Playing Final Fantasy and other jrpgs as a kids definitely made me fall in love with storytelling and character writing.

[@courtneyhale9132]

@ I definitely still have a love of storytelling that is done through video games. I’m glad that you had something like that the foster your love of story too

[@NerdLevelRising]

@@courtneyhale9132 I never played the Zelda games growing up because I didn't have a gameboy or anything!! I'd love to go back and play them, I've heard so many great things!

[@Zivilin]

The early games that sparked my imagination was a mix of adventure games and city-building games; King's Quest, The Secret of Monkey Island. Caesar 3, Pharaoh and heroes of might and magic. I also made up stories playing custom scenarios in Civilization 2. Civ 2 is probably still the game i've put in most hours. 😆