The best and worst of 2024 - 10 categories

[@heathergoldsmith]

I always enjoy your videos. Several of these are now on my TBR list because of you. I DNFed Tress of the Emerald Sea earlier this year. I had some excellent reads this year, but am currently getting into some more Juliet Marillier who is a local author for me. 💜

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@heathergoldsmith Wow thank you, that's so lovely to hear! I always enjoy your comments :D Always great to know I am inspiring tbrs. Interesting, I don't know of her. I just checked her out - she has a rather large bibliography! Where would you recommend starting?

[@heathergoldsmith]

@SamNot-so-wise I think you might enjoy the duology of Wolfskin and Foxmask. I've read most of the Seven waters series. But I feel the Blackthorn and Grim trilogy followed by the Warrior Bards trilogy are the most enjoyable and set in the same world. I am almost done with that last one. Hope you do get to read some of her books. 💜

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@heathergoldsmith ok lovely thanks. It may be a while until I get to her but I'll pop her on the list for sure.

[@Mysterious-Galaxies]

Great video, Sam! I loved the layout of the video. There were a lot of authors and books I never heard of. I'm going to add Bernard Cornwell to my reading list. I'm a sucker for a King Author tale. Le Guin and Banks are always worth a re-read. - Todd

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@Mysterious-Galaxies Thank you!! The Warlord Chronicles is brilliant!

[@arthurhaag9434]

13:28 I agree a lot, and that is really interesting. I dont like brandons humor, but at the same time I think he gets a lot of characters right. I hate shallan and lightsong humor, but Lopen, Hoid, Rock, Syl and some others I dont have any problem with. And while I dont enjoy it, I know a lot of people do, and when you start to pay atention to real people and conversations, you start to notice that most people and jokes are not really that funny, but we notice it a lot more in a book.

[@arthurhaag9434]

Sometimes I cringe a lot in his attempts at humor in books, but while watching his podcast, even tho I do not find him funny, his jokes dont bother me in the slightest

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@arthurhaag9434 Absolutely, well said! I can imagine it is difficult to make humour land in a book, and of course it's subjective. But unfortunately sometimes it just feels so awkward for me. Love Stormlight otherwise!

[@arthurhaag9434]

@SamNot-so-wise humor is subjective, but you know what is not? Lancelot, fuck Lancelot, one of the most annoying chacaters I ever seen. Bernard chornwell is really good at writing despicable people, there are some "Saxon Stories" characters that to this day I get mad when I think about lol

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@arthurhaag9434 Hahaha I think we can all agree Lancelot is the worst!!

[@francoisbouchart4050]

Thanks for the video; always interesting to hear people’s favourites. My favourite series of 2024 is Gael Song by Shauna Lawless. Cheers

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@francoisbouchart4050 Thanks for watching! Ahh I keep hearing more and more about Sauna Lawless, I will have to check her out for sure.

[@bartsbookspace]

Awesome video Sam! You really love Banks! You squeezed a Culture book in as a standalone winner! 😂 love it! Derval is great; I only read the first book and I want to continue next year. I’ve never seen that cover for The Left hand of Darkness, lovely! Yay, for The Use Weapons!!! Can’t wait to read The First 15 Lives, it’s been on my tbr for too long.

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@bartsbookspace Thanks Bart :) Ahh haha you know me, he's my guy!! And hey, it's a series of standalones! Hopefully with another buddy read he'll be appearing on more lists next year ;) I highly recommend continuing in Warlord, great series and Derfel only gets better. I love the classic sci fi covers so much! Yep, I think you'll love Harry August, such a fun book.

[@billfreeman5914]

Thanks for the recommendation of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. I will definitely check it out 👍.

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@billfreeman5914 My pleasure! I hope you enjoy it :)

[@zackaerith1872]

Though I never read babel I get what you meant. RF Kuang did the same in poppy war series as well which hit me in a very wrong way and I never ever want to touch her stuff again. Anyway good video. I agree with your opinions here. Thanks. Keep it coming.

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@zackaerith1872 Thank you!! Yeah I have absolutely no interest in reading the Poppy War!

[@TedReadInstead]

This was so entertaining to watch, Sam! :) I'm excited for the end of 2025 when I'll have a full year of reading so I can do something similar. :) And regarding Shallan - I've only finished book 2, so I didn't know about the split personality, but I will agree with you. Of the three main characters of that series, she also irritates me for a reason I can't really explain. And it frustrates me, because I WANT to like her! LOL.

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@TedReadInstead Thanks Ted!! I look forward to your iteration in a year's time. Oh god I'm sorry. It's kind of all melded into one so it's hard for me to remember when that happens, but probably shouldn't have said it at all 🫣 But I feel similarly! I can't quite describe why I don't like her and am trying so hard to change that. Ahh well. Can't like everyone!

[@TedReadInstead]

@SamNot-so-wise No worries! I've learned right away that if I don't want ANY type of spoiler, I should toss out my computer and NEVER watch a fellow booktuber's video, as the spoilers usually slip out accidentally. :) No foul, no harm. :)

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@TedReadInstead Never a truer word was said!

[@SeaninsShelf]

Great format! I also do not enjoy Shallan at all and as time goes on I wish she would just leave me alone. Glad it was a good year and I look forward to hearing your top 10!

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@SeaninsShelf Thanks!! I will be interested to hear your thoughts on Shallan in Wind and Truth.

[@SeaninsShelf]

@ I am still in Illinois and had my copy sent to Arizona so waiting until my wife can forward it to me 🥲. I also think I will steal this video format cause it seems like fun and I could still do it in conjunction with other videos I want to do for the end of the year. No royalties but I’ll mention ya at least 🫡

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@SeaninsShelf Imitation is a high form of flattery in my eyes. I look forward to seeing it :)

[@secretsauceofstorycraft]

🔥 o.m.g. U read fourth wing hahahaha. So funny!!! 😆 also intrigued to hear more about ur sanderson complaints… sounds like a video idea!! Small edit note: u should put book covers on screen. Its ok if u dont but its easy and would help viewers keep track 😅

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@secretsauceofstorycraft haha I know! It was quite the experience. Whilst I didn't enjoy it all, it was a fun experiment. Oof a Sanderson complaints vid? Sounds like dangerous territory. Thanks for the tip! I'll be messaging you ;)

[@iSamwise]

Don’t you know Sam? Disliking Shallan makes you sexist. At least that’s what Reddit tells me. Funny enough there actually is a sequel of sorts to Canticle for Liebowitz that was published many years later. I want to read both next year!

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@iSamwise Oh wow really? I never knew! Nevermind all the other female characters I like in the series.... Ohhh interesting, I'll have to check that out. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[@soylentgreen607]

How dare you picking a Brandon Sanderson book as the worst .... 🤣. In all honnesty i have not red this book yet and have no plans on doing so. My not so popular opinion is that Sanderson is a little overrated (he's a good writer but not the best). Thanks for the video.

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@soylentgreen607 hahaha I know right?! You know what I'm not sure it's such an unpopular opinion these days. Certainly not in the majority but I hear more complaints these days! Thanks for watching :)

[@eveythingthatsadam]

Oh dear, its probounced *bay-bel* not *babble*

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@@eveythingthatsadam Depends where you're from. Both are correct. Thanks for watching!