The Month: Oct. 2023 - reading, book haul and other newness

[@andreabknight]

So glad that Fitz is settling in well. So nice to have an animal companion.

[@MattonBooks]

Yeah, she’s adapted well, Andrea. She’s not quite a companion like Nighteyes, but she speaks often enough I *almost* feel like I know her thoughts. 😅

[@almaaguado347]

Great plans and books!. I also want to re-read LODR, I read it when I was 16 and in spanish, never in english. That is one of my goals for next year. And I love Fitz!!!, I been involved in animal rescue for years and I am a trained behaviourist and each sucessful adoption is an small miracle 😊. And the Sunday evening for reading spring and so, it is fantastic, great to be on the same time zone!!

[@MattonBooks]

Thanks Alma. 🙂 Yeah, booktube tends to lean hard towards the US, so it’s nice to know there are at least a few of us over here in Europe. 👌🏻

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

We missed you during the Book of the New Sun discussion, Matt! That said, I'm glad we all finished the journey, and perhaps it's fitting that not everything went as planned since it is, after all, Book of the New Sun. It's great to have you back on BookTube!

[@MattonBooks]

Thanks. 🙂 It’s great to be back Philip. And yeah, since so much of BotNS feels like a dream, maybe falling asleep is the appropriate response. 😜 I’ve already got Urth of the New Sun on the way, so let me know when you’re up for it! 😀

[@TuftyMcTavish]

😮Blimey, those Feist books are a blast from the past. I have an enormous number of them on my shelf as I too read them way back when. But at some point I stalled out, failed to return, and then decades passed. I wonder now how they have aged 🤔 Hey, I spotted Fitz the 🐈‍⬛ in the corner there!! 😍 I’ve got a neighbourhood cat that likes to come visit. Sometimes she’ll stay for a few seconds - in and out again - while other times she’ll snooze on my lap or between my legs for an hour or two. As somebody who has lived alone, pet-less, for decades, I too am enjoying the bonus company, albeit without the responsibilities 😃

[@MattonBooks]

Funnily, I’m actually finding that the responsibilities - needing to care for something other than just myself - is actually a large part of what does me good. 🙂 And yeah, I’m curious about the Feists as well. But usually when I re-read an old series, I still enjoy it.

[@safinan8008]

Glad to see you back, read each book as ur pace don’t rush reading books too. Happy reading to you!! 🎉

[@MattonBooks]

Thanks Safina, you too! ♥️📚♥️

[@ToriTalks2]

FITZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Super glad to have you back, Matt!

[@MattonBooks]

Isn’t she gorgeous? 😍 Glad to be back. ♥️

[@paulwilliams6913]

Good to see you back in the saddle, Matt. You were missed at the Citadel discussion, but I’m glad you’re ok. For what it’s worth, two weeks ago I somehow forgot to set an alarm for the first time in decades and was late to a meeting😂 And Le Guin is always brilliant! I hadn’t read her sci-fi until grad school, when I took a Le Guin class from the world’s foremost scholar of her work. You’re in for a wondrous treat!

[@MattonBooks]

Yeah, I bought the everything Earthsea hardback a few months back, and since then have been looking forward to more Le Guin. That class is one I’d love to be able to audit! And Urth of the New Sun is on its way, so maybe see you for a chat again soon(ish). 🙂

[@anothersarahreading9961]

Aww - Fitz is a cutie - and named after greatest character ever 🥰 I once named one of my cats Hazel after the rabbit in Watership Down. Like all cats she had her quirks and was often called Hazelnuts as a result 😆 I suspect cat Fitz will suffer far less guilt than book Fitz........... Good to see you back.

[@MattonBooks]

Yeah, cats don’t really do guilt. 😆 So far she seems pretty happy in my flat, and I’m happier with her here, too. 🙂 Good to be back!

[@verosnotebook]

Left Hand is really good, and I have Dispossessed too, waiting. Funnily enough I got Meditations too and Seneca’s Letters, wanting to find more about Stoicism. Got a glimpse of Fitz yesterday (will watch the whole lot when I’ve read Liveship) and I’m happy for both of you 😊 The Sunday pub chat sounds great, might even have the courage to come on, maybe 😂

[@MattonBooks]

You can do it Vero! 😀

[@andreabknight]

Love the fitz pun! 😆

[@MattonBooks]

Fits nicely, doesn’t it? 😆

[@k2u364]

Fitz is way too cute

[@MattonBooks]

Yay EU time zones! 🤘🏻😀🤘🏻

[@thatsci-firogue]

Great wrap-up Matt. I'm excited to resume / restart Realm of the Elderlings hopefully sooner rather than later. In October I read: *Classic* The Death of Ivan Ilyitch / Leo Tolstoy - Book of the month! *Fantasy* The Malevolent Seven / Sebastien De Castell - I really want this to be a series but I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel series to Greatcoats. *Sci-Fi* Red Rising 2: Golden Son (re-read) Red Rising 3: Morning Star (re-read) - I mostly appreciate this series more on re-read, (even if I still think its overhyped af), Morning Star not so much. I don't think Brown does a great job utilising First Person Present in regards to plot twists, it never feels like Darrow being an unreliable narrator but Brown cheating and being cowardly to commit to certain decisions. So I'm going to push back my re-read of Iron Gold until I calm down. From my memory I was liking the sequel series much more but I don't trust Brown lol Sandkings / GRRM - Fantastic!!! *Western* Blood Meridian / Cormac McCarthy (re-read) - I appreciated it more on re-read but its still my least favourite of the three McCarthy I've read so far. I just connected with The Road and No Country for Old Men significantly more. As for comics: Astro City: Life in the Big City (re-read) Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (re-read) Green Arrow Year One (re-read) Incorruptible Volume 1 (re-read) Irredeemable Volumes 1 + 2 (re-read) Saga Volume 1 (re-read) Super Crooks (re-read) Probably my most unpopular book opinion is I don't find Lovecraft that scary 😅

[@MattonBooks]

I read Ivan Ilyitch decades ago, but remember it quite vividly, which speaks for Tolstoy’s remarkable writing. I’ve got Greatcoats 1 on my shelf, a kind gift from a friend last year, and have been looking forward to it. Sounds like totally my thing. And damn Rogue, you’ve really been re-reading comics! The only one there I’m familiar with is Saga, which I love to death. ♥️

[@thatsci-firogue]

@@MattonBooks I forgot just how much I love Saga. I was all caught up in college but its been so long I forgotten a huge chunk of what happened.

[@MattonBooks]

@@thatsci-firogue And it took *forever* for them to continue. I’ve got the current issues in my pullbox. 🙂

[@Paromita_M]

Noo I commented too soon - LOTR vlog yes! I reread LOTR twice this year and am very much contemplating a third read. Love it so much.

[@MattonBooks]

Yeah Paromita, LotR has been my #1 fantasy for decades, until I met Mr. Erikson. 😅 Looking forward to a re-read and sharing it with you!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Oh man Book of the New Sun sounds so intriguing. I also just read the Willful Princess novella and really liked it-felt like a Greek tragedy to me. Wow Fitz is a real beauty of a cat! I dunno how consistent I’ll be but I’ll definitely be interested in joining some of the Sunday pubs, a great idea!

[@MattonBooks]

Hadn’t thought that Ben, but you’re right - Greek tragedy all the way. Hope to see you some Sunday soon! 🙂

[@heidi6281]

I think you should include the Fitz footage in your intro or have her end each video! She is beautiful. I read Magician last year for the first time and my favorite chapter is called the Straits of Darkness. I will be looking forward to your Vlog of LOTR. I listened to it several times, the first two go around was for the plot, the third time was for the prose!

[@MattonBooks]

Good idea Heidi. 🙂 I was already thinking I’d include a short Fitz segment in every monthly wrap-up, but I’ve also been considering a new intro…

[@CasualHenk]

I started reading Le Mort d'arthur! Thanks for showing it!

[@MattonBooks]

Excellent Hank! 🙂 It does take a little getting used to, if all you know is modern fantasy, but I love it. ♥️

[@tovx76]

Great video Matt! Your cat is adorable and I love the name. One of my cats is FitzChivalry Farseer and the other is Harry Dresden😂 Hope you have a good day!

[@MattonBooks]

Fitz cat lover unite! 💪🏻😆 I’ll probably eventually get a 2nd to keep Fitz company, but that’ll be The Fool for sure. 😉

[@thefantasythinker]

Well, at least you didn't name the cat Anomander Rake 😁Welcome back!

[@MattonBooks]

To be honest, I *was* considering Fiddler. 🙂

[@Johanna_reads]

Fitz is a beauty! 😻I was wondering why you weren't on the BotNS thumbnail. I may try to start that series next year. Yay to restarting your channel! 🎉

[@MattonBooks]

Thanks Johanna. It’s good to be back. And it’s good to have Fitz around too! ♥️🙂♥️

[@thefairylibrarian3282]

Good to have you back on the KZbins! I really need to try some LeGuin. She has a few books i'm really interested in. Even as someone who is faaaaaaaaar from an expert on stoicism, i sometimes get really annoyed at people talking about it, thinking they understand it when they clearly don't. Same with epicurism. I haven't read any Marcus Aurelius, but stoicism had been around for centuries before him. So when you're done with Meditations and you want more, there's a lot out there Love the Sunday hangouts! I might try joining on screen tonight 👀

[@MattonBooks]

Glad you joined us Kaat. 🙂 Yeah, I think one of the best traits you can cultivate is being very sure about what you don’t know, and I definitely don’t know much about stoicism. 😜

[@RedFuryBooks]

Perfect name for a cat!

[@MattonBooks]

Thought so too. 🙂 I was considering Nighteyes, of course, but I prefer one syllable names for pets.

[@francoisbouchart4050]

Fits is beautiful!

[@MattonBooks]

😍

[@jeroenadmiraal8714]

I have a comics recommendation for you, Matt: Ralph Azham. A humorous fantasy series, quite adult and gruesome, and very well written.

[@MattonBooks]

Never heard of it, Jeroen. I’ll have to track it down, thanks! 🙂

[@derrisreaditbefore]

❤