Summer + Fall TBR - Read or Die!!!

[@readbykyle3082]

Feast is sooo underrated. Augustus is also fantastic. Hyperion is fantastic! Hope you enjoy your summer and fall reading plans!

[@iWizard]

Wow, man. You've read everything. If you like those, I'm sure I will too. Cheers!

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

I'm super excited for you to read Middlemarch (i haven't read it yet but I've read several of her other ones) and Canterbury Tales. I had to read that in high school and want to revisit it now as an adult.

[@iWizard]

Thanks! And yes, I did read several Canterbury tales in college-Wife of Bath, Miller's Tale-but I've never read the whole thing. And yes, I'm already pumped for Middlemarch. I almost want to bump it up to the front of the list, but that's how I get in trouble. I neeeed to stick to a schedule, haha. Cheers!

[@Beech27]

1. Eaters of the Dead would get my vote, as a fantasy fan interested in how stories and mythologies morph over time. “What if an Arabic scholar encountered the historical Beowulf?” is a premise that can’t miss. 2. Reading more hard boiled and noir fiction will also give you an interesting perspective on cyberpunk, considering how much the latter took from the former in tone and style. 3. Middlemarch is one of those classics that really is that good-deeply insightful, witty, instructive. Always excited when people get to experience it.

[@iWizard]

1. Eaters of the Dead sounds great. Have you read it? Is it a good read or just a strong premise? 2. Yes, I was thinking this very same thing. 3. Indeed, I have a few glaring holes in my knowledge of literature. Never read Moby Dick, never read Dante's Inferno. This is another shameful hold. Thanks for watching! Cheers!

[@Beech27]

@@iWizard I’d say it’s very good but not great. The project is consistently more interesting than entertaining, though it scores highly in the latter.

[@Johanna_reads]

I’m so excited to hear your thoughts on The Warrior Prophet and Augustus! I’m wanting to read Blindsight and Hyperion at some point. I have a feeling those could be potential favorites for me. Middlemarch sounds fascinating. This is an amazing TBR!

[@iWizard]

Thanks so much. Did you like Warrior Prophet more or less than the first book? Looking forward to our chat in a couple of weeks! :)

[@Johanna_reads]

@@iWizard The Warrior Prophet was my favorite in that trilogy! I just finished reading The Judging Eye, which is book 1 in the continuation series and might love it even more! Looking forward to our chat as well! :)

[@ginasantiago5747]

Middlemarch is on my near-future reading list too!

[@iWizard]

Awesome! You'll have to tell me what you think of it! When do you plan to read it?

[@ginasantiago5747]

@@iWizard That's a good question! I would like to start reading it this summer. I'm in the middle of reading Mansfield Park and The Pale Horseman (book #2 in the Saxon Stories). Hopefully, I'll finish those in a couple of weeks and then take a break from reading Austen and Cornwell.

[@MacScarfield]

Yeah, "Edan"! Very excited to hear your thoughts on the "Pendragon Cycle" and PKD too! Just read "Islands in the Net" by Bruce Sterling (80s (Post-)Cyberpunk), which you might interesting too, as well as the "Marîd Audran" series by George Alec Effinger (80s Cyberpunk set in the Vice Quarter (inspired by the French Quarter in New Orleans) of an unnamed Middle Eastern Metropolis in a Balkanized 22th Century World: Especially book #2 "A Fire in the Sun" I found almost prescient!). On my Summer TBR, I have: The "Memory, Sorrow & Thorn" Trilogy by Ted Williams (Epic Fantasy, major inspiration for GRR Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" “A Brightness Long Ago” by Guy Gavriel Kay (Historical Fantasy inspired by Renaissance Italy) The "Prince of Nothing" Trilogy by R. Scott Bakker (Dark/Epic Fantasy inspired by the Crusades and “Dune”) "Tiamat's Wrath" & "Leviathan Falls" by James S.A. Corey (The final two novels in the "Expanse" Space Opera series) My Fall TBR is not set, but I hope to get to: "Lustrum" & "Dictator" by Robert Harris (Book #2 & #3 in the "Cicero" Trilogy, Historical Fiction about the Roman Statesman) "After Rome" by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fiction set in Post-Roman Britain) "The Power Broker" by Robert Caro (Investigative Journalism/Political Biography Classic) "Dreaming the Eagle" by Manda Scott (Book #1 in the "Boudica" series, Historical Fiction about the Celtic Queen) "Alamut" by Vladimir Bartol (Historical Fiction set during the Crusades about the Hashshashin) "Augustus" by John Williams (Historical Fiction) "All Tomorrow's Parties" by William Gibson (#3 in the "Bridge" Trilogy, Cyberpunk) “Lancelot” by Giles Kristian (Book #1 in "The Arthurian Tales" Series, Historical Fantasy) And I have located the only library copy of "Demon in White" in my country, so me and Mr. Ruocchio are gonna tango again in the not to-far-future!

[@iWizard]

Yes, very excited about Way of Edan. Have you read that one yet? By the way, how was Islands in the Net? I've wanted to read that for some time. I will put Marîd Audran on my Goodreads "Want to Read" list. By the way, you have an excellent TBR! Once you get to The Expanse, check out my wife Nikki's videos. She reviewed all of the Expanse books. Your fall TBR is rich with historical fiction. Do let me know how you like the Robert Harris books and also the William Gibson novel. Finally, Demon in White is my favorite Sun Eater novel. It's spectacularly good.

[@MacScarfield]

@@iWizard I have read the whole “Edan” Trilogy, so don’t you worry, I have a “notes & references” List for all of them! 😄 I really enjoyed “Island in the Net”: While not mind blowing, I found it rather interesting: How rather accurately Sterling imagined the workaholics and casual dating of the 80s impacting almost dialectically later generations, from extreme libertines to choosing family life (also the internal migration/economic boom of the US Sunbelt!); his ideas of economic democratic organizations/cooperations reminded me of Kim Stanley Robinson’s work and, coming from a country with a Labour Party, I had chuckle every time the “Anti-Labour Party” is mentioned! 😄 The “Marid Audran” books are very explicit, I must preface, but watching Marid (very much) against his own will having to assume responsibility more and more throughout the trilogy, is both hilarious karmic humor and almost wholesome!😄 That I definitely will do that! I can already say that Book #1 in the “Cicero” Trilogy, “Imperium”, is my Read of the Year so far, impeccable historically and written with great British wit! 😄 Very excited to read “Demon in White”, indeed! 😊

[@someokiedude9549]

I would take your offer to read Do Androids Dream with you, but alas I have already read it. It's a good starting point for PKD if you asked me, not to discount his short stories anyway. But hey, if you're interested in talking about it, I'll pop on if you want. If not that's ok too. Hey, I'm hoping to read Hyperion too! I'm hoping to get to it sometime this summer, I just need to finish Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell first. Maybe we could read that together since we both haven't gotten to it yet. Perhaps I'm reaching... Sounds like you have a list ahead of you. Good luck with Paradise Lost. It's one of my favorite epic poems and one of the finest works of English literature, if I do say so myself.

[@iWizard]

Sure, let's read Hyperion together. That is, if you are okay with waiting until August. I don't think I'll be able to get to it until then. Cheers!

[@blacknbluecollarreader]

Can't wait to hear your "1000 Fold Thoughts" on Warrior Prophet. It's my favorite book in this trilogy. I wanted to read Ubik 1st but I may join you when you read PKD. Awesome video man.

[@iWizard]

Thanks for watching, man! As for Prince of Nothing, it's good to know that the series only gets better and that the last book was your favorite. Also, you should read Do Androids Dream? this summer and maybe we could talk about it on my channel. Let me know if you're interested. I'm planning to read it in mid-June.

[@blacknbluecollarreader]

@@iWizard For clarity's sake Warrior Prophet is my favorite in the PoN series. lol. I'm gonna squeeze DADoES in for June. I remember loving the movie as a kid and that would be a fun discussion.

[@kurtfox4944]

I'm a mood reader, too. Video Idea - make a "fess up" video - go back after fall and make a video on all the books you didn't read. PKD - Androids is my favorite of his, by far... some are good, and some not so good, but Android is excellent. In my top 10% Chandler / Big Sleep and all 6 books are excellent. Farewell My Lovely, The Long Goodbye are the best. but I liked them all. Middlemarch - not a fan. Lots of people loved it, then again, lots of people like Jane Austen... not my cup of tea. I found it dry, bland and boring - like eating a loaf of stale, bleached white flour bread after a long week in the Sahara without water. Michael Chricton - I second _Eaters of the Dead_ --- but avoid the film at all costs! I've read the ones you did, Andromeda Strain, Sphere, Congo, and Airframe, maybe a few others. I was least impressed with Congo, Hyperion - What I did not like about it is that it does not end. 6 stories by all the travelers, like Canterbury, but it is all left hanging. Not a cliff hanger, but more of a "buy my second book" because I had to publish something. Because it left me hanging, I am having a hard time getting into the next book (current read). The story of Rachel (Sol Weintrab), however, is worth the read, regardless of the ending - unique and timeless (pun intended). Canterbury Tales - interesting. You'll have fun with that. Cormac - The Crossing. Skip it if you don't know Spanish. Seriously. I usually read 2-3 books a week, and after this one (and all the manual translation lookups), I did not read anything for a month - went into the worst reading slump in my life. Big Downer. I wont be reading the last in that trilogy because of the Spanish. Count of Monte Cristo is in my top 1% and my favorite in the list of books you mention here. have fun - you have lots to look forward to

[@iWizard]

I love this suggestion. If I can find the time, I may do a "Fess Up" video. I'm happy to hear that Count of Monte Cristo was such a hit for you. I keep hearing the most glowing attestations of effusive praise for that book and I've seen the film, and loved it, so I imagine I'll love the book, if they're anything alike. Noted re: The Crossing and Middlemarch. I wonder: Is Eaters of the Dead actually a good novel, or is it simply an ingenious premise?

[@kurtfox4944]

@@iWizard I read _Eaters_ over 20 years ago, so I cannot compare it to my most recent reading, but I do recall being totally enthralled with it. Chricton is always a fast-paced read, and a decent writer. I do recall that the book had footnotes, and read like non-fiction. In fact, I knew absolutely nothing about it, and thought it was non-fiction until very late in the book. Historical fiction x fantasy, although almost believable fantasy. The sci-fi and especially fantasy genres have EXPLODED since the 2000s, but before then, the selections were much more limited. I need to do a re-read of it.

[@Elricsedric]

Continue the elric saga

[@iWizard]

That's a very good idea. I may just do that.

[@KhaymanSmith]

The Warrior Prophet caused me to lose sleep

[@iWizard]

Is it that good? :)

[@KhaymanSmith]

The last third of the book doesn't let up

[@EricMcLuen]

Recently finished Revelation Space. Knowing it is part one of a series might change my opinion as it seemed really rushed at the end. Liked Hyperion. Disappointed in Fall as it read way too much like the later Dune books. Warrior Prophet gets more intense as things get moving. His writing just gets better as he slowly reveals what is going on.

[@iWizard]

Yeah, the ending of RS is super truncated and almost jarring. That said, I've read the book twice and it was really only on the second reading that I felt like I fully (or mostly) understood the ending. If you enjoyed RS, do go on to Redemption Ark when you get a chance. It's sooo good.