Tier Ranking Every Dan Simmons Novel - Thrillers, Historical, Literary & Short Fiction SPOILER-FREE

Dan Simmons is best known for his award-winning science fiction and horror novels, but they represent only half of his literary output. In this video, I briefly review and tier rank his 14 books in the crime thriller, historical fiction and mainstream literary fiction genres, as well as his collected and uncollected short fiction.
The first two parts of my Dan Simmons overview:
Part 1: Why he's essential reading - • Why Dan Simmons Is Ess...
Part 2: Tier ranking his horror and science fiction - • Tier Ranking Every Dan...
0:34 Organization & criteria
1:02 Literary fiction / Phases of Gravity
4:45 Crime thrillers / Darwin's Blade
8:56 Joe Kurtz trilogy
11:46 Historical fiction / The Crook Factory
14:32 The Terror
18:09 Drood
24:01 Black Hills
25:56 The Abominable
29:38 The Fifth Heart
33:38 Short fiction / Prayers to Broken Stones
36:24 Lovedeath
37:42 Worlds Enough and Time
38:28 Other noteworthy short fiction
-----------------------------
Library ladder merchandise is available at thelibraryladder.creator-spri...
I also have a Ko-Fi.com page if you enjoy my videos and would like to buy me a cup of coffee: ko-fi.com/thelibraryladder
------------------------------
Artwork credits:
Alexsander Obradovic, Bob Englehart, DALL-E, Dan Simmons, Darwyn Cooke, mindtricks, Nathan Spotts
#scifi #horror #literature #thriller #suspense #booktube #sciencefiction #booktubesff

[@HellBoy-id6ss]

The man with the greatest voice on KZbin..

[@fconstraints]

The Terror really rocked my world when I read it last winter. The historical detail and horror of the real life conditions was much more haunting to me than the supernatural elements.

[@thelibraryladder]

I had a similar experience with The Terror. The real parts had a stronger impact on me than the speculative ones.

[@Henri79]

Sir, I regret I can only upvote this video once. Another stellar video on the best booktube channel on KZbin. If I had a hat I would raise it to you.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thank you, kind sir. I regret that I have not yet found the secret to producing these videos at a faster rate. I have many more videos planned than time available to make them.

[@MichaelRSchultheiss]

It's been many years since I read The Terror, but from what I remember, I flew through it. I've been a history fanatic all my life, and Simmons's combination of in-depth historical adventure and horror/suspense was irresistible.

[@thelibraryladder]

I found it to be an irresistible combination as well, all the more so because I knew Simmons had done his homework on the historical research. Few things annoy me more in historical fiction than lazy and inaccurate period detail.

[@Cuyt24]

I found The Terror at an vintage shop in Seoul, South Korea. It had a bunch of used books in the back and some were English books. I bought it for $1. Loved the book.

[@codylakin288]

On social media, Simmons has been vaguely alluding to the possibility that OMEGA CANYON is on hold, and he’s working on something HYPERION related. I can’t confirm this, but it’s been hinted at. By the way… Simmons is possibly my favorite novelist, certainly the one that leaves me most in genuine awe, and these videos are satisfyingly comprehensive, so articulate, and enriching. I intend to rewatch the whole series more than once!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thank you for your kind comment! Simmons is one of my must-read authors, even though I haven't always enjoyed his works. No other author has written some of my all-time favorite novels in three different genres. I don't follow him on social media, so that's interesting news. The Omega Canyon delay doesn't surprise me, as it's original scheduled publication date was more than four years ago. The Hyperion rumor surprises me, because it would contradict adamant statements he's made in the past that he won't revisit it because he hates when authors milk their most popular book series by extending them to generate sales. I wonder if he's working on a film adaptation, which has been his fervent thwarted goal for several of his books, including Hyperion, for more than 30 years.

[@codylakin288]

@@thelibraryladder When he’s at his best, as with The Terror, Summer of Night, Hyperion, etc, his books make for the most deeply and uniquely rewarding experiences, certainly out of any other author I’ve ever read. I don’t want to speak for him, but it sounded as though he does intend to return to Omega Canyon eventually, but that the density of the story-or some aspect of it-may have gotten away from him. A couple years ago, he shared what seemed to be an excerpt of a new story in the Hyperion story, specifically, I remember it being the point of view of Raul and Aenea’s son. Makes me wonder if returning to that world, despite his claims, is serving as a palette cleanser-like the Hardcase books-from Omega Canyon, perhaps.

[@SeanHummer]

Seriously? That's awesome. I heard he had a serious head injury a few years ago and hadn't published anything since... scared me.

[@KalleVilenius]

Grading books on enjoyment and ambition is a really interesting way of doing it.

[@thelibraryladder]

I was trying to come up with a way to differentiate the wide variety of Simmons' writing. My enjoyment of his works is partly calibrated to my expectations about them. My expectations of his more conventional novels are different from those I have of his more ambitious books, just as my expectations of different genres vary. For example, I gave Carrion Comfort, Endymion and his Joe Kurtz trilogy the same enjoyment rating, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed them equally. Their ratings also factor in how the books stack up against others in the same genre because I derive different kinds of enjoyment from different genres.

[@hypatia4754]

Your review of Drood was EXACTLY how I felt about it. Love your channel and your soothing voice.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thank you! I really admire what he accomplished in writing Drood, but I doubt if I'll ever re-read it (although I might revisit some of Collins' critical takedowns of Dickens' writing that Simmons sprinkled throughout the book).

[@KyleLemmon]

Thanks for sharing these Simmons videos!

[@davefuentes3542]

I really enjoyed your Dan Simmons series. I’d previously only read “Summer of Night” and your thoughtful and thorough discussion of his works have inspired me to read further. I also love how you cast his possible film adaptations with your movie clips 😂

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! You've made my day! That's my goal for making these videos -- to inspire others to try reading something a little different. I have fun editing my videos. I think of each book review as a kind of movie trailer for the book, and I try to piece together film clips and images that can tell a story like a trailer. They don't always work out, but it's fun trying.

[@danielhuszar2248]

Fantastic. I could never be thankful enough for these videos!!!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! I'm so glad you find them helpful!

[@wileyschmitt]

Thank you Bridger, that was an awesome series on Simmons, and I'm very much looking forward to eventually reading all of his books. There's sooooo many authors I want to fully read, but Simmons keeps quickly moving up the list since watching these videos.

[@RedFuryBooks]

I finally carved out time to watch this one! Thanks for the second half of the overview of his works - I've only read The Terror and Drood from this set of books, but added a few more to the ever growing TBR.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks, Josh. That's the trouble with these overview videos -- they tend to be pretty long, requiring a more substantial time commitment from viewers. I can empathize with you because I too have trouble finding time to watch videos I know I'd be interested in.

[@regaling]

Very well done. Thank you

[@thelibraryladder]

You're very welcome! I enjoyed making these three videos. Simmons is a favorite of mine.

[@yelisieimurai]

Hello from Ukraine again! Thank you for another great video!

[@AdrianESabau]

Great series of videos. Great summary of "Phases of Gravity", one of my favorite Simmons books and one of my favorite books in general.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! Phases of Gravity seems to be one of his keystone novels -- i.e., containing plot, character and thematic elements that are echoed throughout many of his works, similar to how Stephen King's novel Insomnia is often cited as the key to making sense of his Dark Tower series, even though it isn't part of that series.

[@cyntoh9265]

Great video. I've really enjoyed your overview of Dan Simmons' books. I can't wait to see who's works you'll review next.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! Tad Williams is likely to get the retrospective treatment next. He's been a longtime favorite of mine.

[@RaduAndrei91]

I just wanted to thank you for recommending The Terror! I could not put it down and while it was a slow burn as you mentioned, I felt that each chapter either had some element of suspense or intriguing historical detail that kept me interested and left me wanting to read more. It's honestly one of the best books I've ever read.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks for letting me know! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. If you can access it, the AMC TV series adaptation of The Terror is quite good, although it abridges the story in several ways. It's currently available to stream on Hulu.

[@RaduAndrei91]

@@thelibraryladder Yes, I am definitely going to watch the TV series! Thank you again!

[@paulwilliams6913]

This would be a good year for Simmons to put out Omega Canyon if he manages it; with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer film premiering in July, there’s going to be a lot of buzz for material related to the Manhattan Project, even if Simmons’s novel is fiction. I don’t know how much more of Simmons I’ll read. Quite likely Fall of Hyperion and maybe the Endymion duology. Maybe Ilium and Olympos? I can’t say; one book at a time. I will say that your discussion of The Fifth Heart has me curious about that one. It sounds like the epitome of what Linda Hutcheon termed “historiographic metafiction”. It also sounds like a useful text for discussing the difference Frederic Jameson identified between pastiche and parody. It sounds like Fifth Heart is likely more in the pastiche camp (I could be wrong), but I’d be curious to see if I could discern more to that discussion. It’s interesting how scattered our evaluations of an entire author’s oeuvre can be. Few authors are able to be consistently excellent; for me, Le Guin is the apex of this, since I consider about 95% of her work to be varying degrees of brilliant. Wolfe and Crowley, also, though I have to admit that each of them has a few titles I’m only mildly intrigued by (eg. Wolfe’s final two books seem like they’re most appreciated by true devotees and completists). If Susanna Clarke had a larger corpus, I’d probably include her as well. And you’ve make a strong case for Simmons and Guy Gavriel Kay. Plus there are many, many others that I’m not going to list here. Yet even within a master author’s corpus we can see large variations with how we might esteem their individual works. Fanboy for Le Guin though I am, I do recognize that Rocannon’s World, Planet of Exiles, and City of Illusions have weaknesses (to say nothing of how Le Guin herself criticized those early novels). And, I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest fan of her novella, The Matter of Seggri. My point is that I’m always fascinated that while we fans might say “Author X is a true genius and everything they’ve written is amazing!”, once we zoom in and look closer, you the discussion becomes even more interesting as we parse it out on a title-by-title level.

[@thelibraryladder]

You make some terrific points, and broadly speaking, I share your views on Le Guin and Wolfe (both of whom will be the focus of my future retrospectives). I like authors who make me think. Such authors tend to be must-reads for me. I might not always enjoy their works, but I still admire the skill with which they were crafted and I appreciate the things I learn from them. The Fifth Heart is an intriguing read, and would make an interesting text for teaching postmodernism. It has elements of both pastiche and parody, as Jameson and Hutcheon defined them, with Jameson's pastiche the predominant characteristic, in my opinion. Like Simmons' The Crook Factory and Drood, The FIfth Heart blurs the lines that define history, leaving the reader wondering how much of what they just read is factually accurate.

[@paulwilliams6913]

@@thelibraryladder Part of me is just amused that you can respond to my reference to Hutcheon and Jameson. They’re mostly read by academics and you don’t strike me as an academic (just in terms of a profession; you’re clearly solid as an intellectual). I find Jameson nearly impenetrable as a writer, but Hutcheon is wonderfully lucid :) I look forward to your videos on Wolfe and Le Guin. I feel like Wolfe, especially, is starting to get growing attention on BookTube; Le Guin has always had shoutouts. I’m actually going to be a guest on Philip Chase’s channel in a few days to discuss Shadow of the Torturer. (Mervyn Peake has also been getting mentioned more lately, I feel, and a few other neglected authors. Maybe someday we’ll see a redemption for Sean Stewart, and greater praise for Sofia Samatar and….)

[@thelibraryladder]

@@paulwilliams6913 One might say that I'm a recovering academic. :D My goal with future retrospectives is to shine a light on the authors' lesser known or discussed works. For example, much of Le Guin's Hainish Cycle beyond the best known works, as well as her short fiction. Likewise with Wolfe, beyond his New, Long and Short Suns.

[@paulwilliams6913]

@@thelibraryladder And I appreciate that about your channel. If I ever do start a channel I see myself advocating for less popular authors/books myself. I hope you’ll touch on Le Guin’s Orsinian fiction when you get to her video. Malafrena certainly isn’t her best novel, but Orsinian Tales is one of the best short story collections I’ve ever read :)

[@brianpineda3505]

this was great! I'm currently reading song of kali because of your recommendation on the last video. I'm enjoying it so far! thank you for this overview. I'm interested in reading some of his short stories after this, and also the terror.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! Simmons provides a lot of good material to choose from. Enjoy!

[@buddhabillybob]

As always, a great video! I admire his versatility even though I have sometimes found him to be unreadable. You have convinced me to read some of the novels that I have been avoiding.

[@thelibraryladder]

Wonderful! I hope you have a good experience with them. Thanks for sharing!

[@scottgriswold1935]

The Terror was my introduction to Dan Simmons. A couple years ago I listened to the audiobook, and I think the slower pace compared to reading the book myself added a lot to my enjoyment and immersion

[@Verlopil]

This is fantastic! Thank you so much for all the time you've put into this. It's an incredible resource. Darwin's Blade sounds like he made a bet with his brother to make his job sound interesting! I love his historical novels. For one thing, you can be sure that any factual sorts of details he puts into his books are accurate so you can revel in all the history you're steeping in. I agree almost completely with your assessment of their qualities. I may have liked the ending of The Abominable a little less than you though. His new novel sounds like it will be a winner, and I can't wait to read it!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thank you! I wanted to shine a small light on Simmons' works that are less well-known or discussed on BookTube. I hope viewers find the video helpful. You might be right about Darwin's Blade. My theory is that it was a calculated attempt to write a novel that could easily be adapted by Hollywood, given the prevailing trends in action/thriller/crime procedurals in movies and on TV at that time. In the forewords to some of his short fiction, as well as in some interviews he's given over the years, he's been very candid about his active, but mostly unsuccessful, efforts to adapt his books for film and TV.

[@SolarLabyrinth]

Thanks for putting this together. I really enjoyed it and have bought a few of these to read, having only read the first two Hyperion books so far. In my mind, I've always lumped Simmons and Tim Powers together since they seem to both write well-researched fiction that combines several genres. One of my goals is to read more from each.

[@thelibraryladder]

That's a great comparison to Tim Powers, who happens to be another of my favorites. I'm planning a retrospective of Powers' books later this year.

[@samcostello2861]

A new video from Bridger is always a treat.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks!

[@donaldrobers5028]

Thanks for another insightful and informative presentation! I just completed " Fires of Eden " and am reminded how much of his writing style has sprung from his earlier work as a teacher. You have referred to the " info dump" aspects of his work, and I agree. Yet I think that it comes from an earnest desire to impart knowledge to his readers in an interesting format - a desire that nests deep in the DNA of all good teachers!

[@thelibraryladder]

I think you've nailed it. He likes to share his knowledge, which is great for readers who are eager to learn it, but can be a little excessive for those who prioritize entertainment value. In his final years as a teacher, he developed and led an innovative, inquiry-based program for advanced students in the public school system that might have been partly inspired by the Montessori school approach.

[@BookishChas]

Thanks for this video Bridger! Not sure how many of these will be hits for me. I am interested in Worlds Enough in Time. Maybe Drood as well.

[@thelibraryladder]

It would be a rare reader indeed who truly enjoyed everything Simmons has written. Some of his works are quite dark and unpleasant; others provide fascinatingly detailed history lessons; still others are very conventional works in a variety of genres; and then there's his highly imaginative science fiction of Hyperion and Ilium. I'm a fan of what he accomplished in Drood, even if I didn't fully enjoy the read, due to my frustration with the main characters. I hope you enjoy it more than I did. It's a five-star read for many readers.

[@bookmarkswithjason9445]

Wow his body of work is overwhelming!

[@thelibraryladder]

Even though I'd read all of his books, it still surprised me when I started preparing these videos to count more than 30 of them. The breadth of his range is really remarkable.

[@SuperPlastered]

I love The Terror! Another good video, Sir. Thank you!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! Making this video made me want to re-read The Terror again soon.

[@arekchecinski8826]

I have just finished ''Terror'' and it was one of the best books I've ever read...about to start ''Drood''!. Thanks for great video!

[@thelibraryladder]

Great! I hope you enjoy Drood more than I did. It's an amazing novel, but as I noted in the video, it was a very frustrating read for me.

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

Simmons is such a diverse writer, i sometimes wondered if he is hiding a 'secret writer collective ' in his basement ;)

[@thelibraryladder]

Hmmm, I wonder if that inspired his short story 'Shave and a Haircut, Two Bites' which is in his first collection, Prayers to Broken Stones. :D

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

@@thelibraryladder It's one of the few books i never read.. Spooky coincidence ? ;)

[@personmcpersonperson2893]

This gave me the overview i was looking for. Thank you so much! On a sidenote, have you read the works of Cormac McCarthy? I would be interested in your estimation of them.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! I've read a couple of McCarthy's novels and found them fascinating, frustrating, bold and bleak (to use just a few adjectives). They're interesting and thought-provoking, which makes me want to read more by him, but he's not an author I'm likely to binge-read, due to his writing style and bleakness.

[@personmcpersonperson2893]

@@thelibraryladder I see what you mean. Personally I'm very fond of his prose and his ability to turn dark subject matter into captivating lyricism. I don't suppose we will see a McCarthy tier ranking on this channel then; which of course is fine, because there are still plenty of great authors to talk about. Thank you for the response

[@alynam82]

It's tough to know for sure if Simmons plans to return to publishing novels, or if he's going to end up retiring. I remember a post about an accident involving a serious bump on his head (by carrying a canoe?). Anyways, I haven't read his short fiction, but am quite the fan of his later releases, even if they're not quite enjoyed by all. Books like Black Hills, Drood, The Fifth Heart and Abominable, I can easily see their criticisms, but I highly enjoyed the history lessons they provided. He may be the top dog of info dumping, but I'm here for it, lol!

[@thelibraryladder]

Another commenter noted that Simmons has hinted on social media that he has stepped away from finishing his latest novel in order to work on something that _might_ be Hyperion-related. My guess is that he's trying to get his long-sought film adaptation off the ground by working on the screenplay. I agree about enjoying most of his infodumps. I like learning stuff.

[@vasari9198]

I love the writing of these reviews as well as the presentation. Both measured and passionate criticism. 👍

[@thelibraryladder]

Thank you! That's what I'm trying to provide.

[@vasari9198]

@@thelibraryladder Have you read CJ Cherryh? My feeling for her work are very mixed.

[@thelibraryladder]

I've read quite a few of her works. I've mostly enjoyed them (which is why I continued to read her), but I've also felt a little underwhelmed by all off them. Even her most acclaimed novels (such as Downbelow Station and Cyteen) never fully engaged me. It's been many years since I read them, and to the best of my recollection, her writing style might be the primary reason. In my opinion, her Fortress fantasy series definitely suffer from an awkward narrative style (as well as some weak plotting in the later books).

[@vasari9198]

@@thelibraryladder There’s so much cold intelligence in her writing and interestingly hard-to-define characters that I keep going back to her, but I also find her often underwhelming. I wonder if I am missing something…

[@duke927]

Your commentary made me want to read his noir crime novels. I’m a big fan of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. The character Kurtz(?) sounds like Porter in Mel Gibson’s movie Payback:) Thanks ! If you haven’t seen that movie I highly recommend it and which I just learned it’s a remake of Point Blank:) Thanks!

[@thelibraryladder]

Simmons' Joe Kurtz trilogy will be right up your seedy, dimly lit alley. Point Blank was an adaptation of Richard Stark's first Parker novel, The Hunter, and Simmons was inspired by the Parker series to write his Kurtz books. [I'm a fan of classic noir of both the book and film varieties. TCM's weekly Noir Alley showcase is something I look forward to.]

[@monagorgan7288]

great video again! i would really love to hear your Stephen King ranks.

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! I think highly of King and have been reading him since I first picked up a paperback copy of Salem's Lot in 1980. At some point, I'm sure I'll do a video about him. He's not a high priority for me at the moment, though, because of how much attention his books already receive. I'm trying to focus more on authors and books that aren't as widely known or discussed on BookTube, but ought to be.

[@monagorgan7288]

@@thelibraryladder May I recommend then Glen Duncan or Jose Saramago. Happy reading, kind sir!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll need to read more by them. To date, I've read only Saramago's Baltasar and Blimunda (which was impressive), and nothing by Duncan.

[@skalliedA]

Have you ever read, RObert Edric's "The Broken Lands"? It's also about the Franklin expedition, focusing on the people who were left behind with the ships, more so than Crozer's group. Very good read, I think. THought that might be up your ally.

[@thelibraryladder]

I haven't read it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[@kykynestyf7742]

Wow, just wow ... Looks like my reading list got way longer. Also I feel like I am years behind on reading after listening to your videos. Thank you. Just wondering... How fast do you read?

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! I read at a normal, unhurried pace and only one book at a time, which helps me fully immerse myself in an author's writing. I've been an avid reader for more than fifty years, and I read every day. In recent years, audiobooks have enabled me to find more time for reading, such as when driving or doing household chores. I'm not a fan of speedreading or listening to audiobooks at highly accelerated speeds, because it's easy to miss important details and subtle nuances of meaning, and it doesn't allow much time to process the artistry and emotional components of the writing that the author intended. Instead, it turns the reading experience into little more than an accelerated plot delivery system. (That's been my experience, at any rate.)

[@kykynestyf7742]

@@thelibraryladder Thank you for replying and with so much detail. Have to say, you look great for over 50 years of reading, so please keep it going, it is working. I find audiobooks a great help in catching up on some easy reads... and they keep me out of trouble, used to run into bike parking poles and trees on the side walks. Some things I have to read after I listened to get a grip on it , like "Blindsite" by Peter Watts.

[@General_reader]

Out of your 10,000 book collection, how many have you personally read?

[@sultanmalik9808]

HE HAS HOW MANY

[@thelibraryladder]

A rough estimate would be around 60% so far, and it varies by genre. Nonfiction is probably around 20-25%, while fantasy is probably around 90%, and the other genres are somewhere in between. Children's books are the largest component of my collection, followed by science fiction, and I've probably read 60-70% of them. It's taken me more than five decades to read them, and more than four decades to collect them.

[@General_reader]

Have you considered doing any videos on book conservation? Your collection is clearly extensive and I’m sure you take all precautionary steps to preserve your investment. I would find your thoughts on the matter Interesting.

[@thelibraryladder]

Yes, it's a video topic I've been contemplating. I'm still thinking through what information might be most useful, as well as the best way to present it. Some of it might involve hands-on demonstrations, and the logistics of filming those parts is likely to pose some challenges. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@michaelfeeney6108]

Another great video. Each one you put out just makes me want to quit working and just read all. the. books. Definite FOMO. But then I wouldn’t be able to afford all the books!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! They make me want to quit working, too, and just read books and make videos about them all day. :D

[@astronomicafilms]

Teir 1: HYPERION Lower teirs: everything else I rate the Hyperion Cantos in my top sci-fi series ever, right there with the Book of the New Sun, Dune, and Foundation...but nothing else I read by Simmons does it for me, and boy, have I tried. Any chance I get, I read him in hopes that he comes close to Hyperion for me. The last straws were Children of the Night and the Terror, both of which contained a lot of good ideas and excellent writing, but just frustrated me.

[@technocore1591]

After reading all of Simmons' scif (the Hyperion Cantos repeatedly) and some horror (Carrion Comfort is insane and incredible!) I decided to branch out. Tried "The Terror"... hated it. For me it was TOO much. It was torture porn. Heaping so much pain and misery on the same people for SO long and in SUCH detail... over and over each event worse than the last, at some point it just got too gratuitous for me and my enjoyment plummeted. I'm thinking "Dan, baby! Leave these people alone!" Ha ha. By the end the scope was so far afield from the naval adventure I'd been expecting, I'd stopped caring. I finished it but don't recall much. Great video though!

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks! In some of his stories, Simmons explores in depth some dark places and experiences that won't appeal to everyone. It's a big factor in why I haven't enjoyed some of his books. With The Terror, the historical element and my long interest in nautical and exploration fiction outweighed the characters' suffering in my overall enjoyment.

[@technocore1591]

@@thelibraryladderYes. I'm a fan of O'Brian's books as well so I get what you mean. And as a huge fan of "Carrion Comfort" I'm well versed in Simmons' darkness. I think for me it was how graphic he was, combined with the quantity of the torture.

[@vdpfamily512]

Tôi rất thích cách phân chia sách này của bạn 😊 Mong bạn tiếp tục đà phát triển nha 🎉

[@thelibraryladder]

Cảm ơn bạn! Tôi có nhiều video khác như thế này đã lên kế hoạch. [Thanks! And any translation errors are due to Google Translate.]

[@Cmdtheartist]

I've read a few Simmons books, really enjoyed them, even though, according to you, I liked Darwin's Blade more than it deserved. I feel like such a fool. I could have sworn it was a good book, although the protagonist was a Mary Sue. And his romantic interest was unrealistic. And there were a lot of coincidences... egads! You were right....I still kind of liked it, though.

[@thelibraryladder]

I kind of liked it too, but it didn't quite measure up to his better novels IMO (and I've read better procedural thrillers by other authors).

[@Cmdtheartist]

@thelibraryladder The Terror and Carrion Comfort are his best in my opinion. His Hyperion books are in a different category for me. They're really complicated and veer off a lot into what I assume are personal likes and dislikes of the author making their way into the story (like when a character in a Stephen King book expresses a musical opinion, you know it's just SK venting). There are a lot of images and ideas from the Hyperion books that refuse to quiet down in my memory, so I guess, job well done, Dan.

[@markpaterson2053]

No way!!!!!!!! I didn't know he wrote Drood. I read that a few years ago; took weeks for the saturation of mood that book infused in me to give way.

[@thelibraryladder]

Drood has a miasma of atmosphere, particularly when venturing into the underground sewers of London. :)

[@markpaterson2053]

@@thelibraryladder Yes, I felt like I was taking the laudanum Wilkie Collins was on. I agree it was over-long, but that midnight journey through the cobbly, archway -riddled old London absorbed me; I don't think I've ever felt so fully immersed, and it's not even my favourite novel.

[@markpaterson2053]

@@thelibraryladder Have you ever read Jonothan Strange and Mr. Norrel? It's not quite the same but has a similar potency in immersive world atmosphere, quite a unique novel--and long! I think it's even longer than Drood, and has footnotes that literally take up half a pages sometimes, but that's part of it's unique charm: a fictional history that feels like it really happened.

[@thelibraryladder]

I have read it, and you're right about the immersive atmosphere.

[@MasterMote]

Well I'm sold i have to read "the terror"

[@MasterMote]

Btw would love if u did a video about "nautical" fantasy/horror etc. Books. I love that setting

[@thelibraryladder]

That's an interesting thought! Nautical historical fiction is one of my favorite subgenres (e.g., C.S. Forester, Patrick O'Brian, Alexander Kent, etc.), which is one reason why 'The Terror' resonated so well with me. Do you have any suggestions for nautical fantasy or horror books?

[@MasterMote]

@@thelibraryladder well heres a popular one that sort of takes place on the sea, "red seas under red skies" second in the gentleman bastards series. Mostly takes place on a boat id say. Moby dick is too obvious, and tho i enjoy the setting i clearly haven't read enough books so i can't think of much more

[@MasterMote]

@@thelibraryladder my favorite "nautical" books (i cant believe i forgot them) are Half a King by joe abercrombie and sandersons new release Tress of the Emerald Sea

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks for the suggestions! The Gentleman Bastards series is a favorite of mine. Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders trilogy is another good one. I haven't yet gotten around to reading Abercrombie's Shattered Sea or Sanderson Tress.

[@thehistorian1232]

The terror was utterly transfixing. Drood was also really good, even if the POV character was an ass. The abominable sucked so absurdly bad it’s barely worth discussing. Still love dan simmons!

[@cleverlydevisedmyth]

I like Simmons, but his works are often too long. I tried reading "Carrion Comfort" at age 12, then at 25, then a 35! I never completed it any of those times-losing interest halfway through each time! Same with "Drood"! But I loved "Summer of Night" because it's an obvious parody of King's "IT".

[@MrDewynter]

All of your videos are first-rate.

[@lafalamirr10dede81]

Great video like always :)

[@thelibraryladder]

Thanks!