Top 10 books I read in 2024!

[@GracieMarie011]

There is this lady who had two kids, a full time job, and still read 500 books this year. I just, mind exploding. I cannot imagine. I am disabled and usually read 2 books at a time. One reading and one audiobook at a time. I am disabled with lupus and Crohn’s. And o was able to read 113 so far prob 116 by the end of the yr. And that’s with dedication & constant reading. How… in the… did she do 500. And she does not skim and retains it all. Can you imagine being able to have that much knowledge per yr in your head. Anyway I am a slow reader and struggle with reading retention so I am proud of how many I have read. We are so blessed to be in a time with so much access & I’ll never not be grateful for it the fun as well as what can be learned. The dandelion dynasty I say to people it’s hard to suggest because it so brutal BUT I follow it up with they should because it’s genius & I feel every leader should read it once. Love the sun eater series. Loved Sandersons storm light archive especially words of radiance. The lies of lock lamore. I also read a lot of horror, sci-fi, thriller, fiction, & non fiction. So a lot of amazing reads this year.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

I can't even imagine reading that much. I Agree we do live in a great time of access. I would add to that community, considering we can connect with people on the opposite side of the planet over books we like.

[@sasapejcin3568]

It's impossible to read 500 books per year!

[@Morfeusm]

Yes there are always outliers who seem to be able things that boggle the mind. I think reading 116 books a year is pretty awesome! I have read the most books I ever had this year and it feels good. Have you read Wind and Truth? What do you think of it?

[@HyeCoh]

O kill

[@GracieMarie011]

@ I have seen people who are speed readers and actually retain everything so I know it’s possible buts it still boggles my mind! I have not. I have it 🙂… but I am on book 4 right now so I should get to book 5 maybe by January or February. They are doorstops so they take me some time 😂. Not as long as the wandering inn but still “I need at least 3 weeks to finish it” long.

[@TertiaryScroat]

If anybody has not read 1984 you really, really should, I do not consider many books 'must read' but 1984 is such a piece of writing craftsmanship.

[@frizzyrascal1493]

I think the book is overrated. It’s concept is well known, the writing is (obviously) cold, bleak and the love story doesn’t really convey anything. The book is a classic, but is it a must read? Debatable.

[@TertiaryScroat]

@@frizzyrascal1493 Dude I have written two essays and deleted both because this new keyboard likes to suddenly put me back a page lol. I have to disagree, you at least admit it is a classic and the fact it is so short and not a remotely difficult read that alone qualifies it as a must read. Now I can not possibly say you are wrong as you may be vastly better read than me but I have read all Orwells novels and every one is different and all highly readable. His characterisations are from the show don't tell school but is all still there, the characters draw a vivid picture in the mind and I feel very involved in their story, I ask for no more. The love story is a device to show BBs power, now I am not trying to be circumspect here but I have said it is a must read so I would be an asshole to ruin something here, well I am an asshole just not for that. Third time I have written this, the first two were persuasive and insightful, honest, probably.

[@madlynx1818]

I totally agree. Because it’s happening now and a lot of people need that kick in the ass wake up call to get it. And at its heart it’s a love story. Phenomenal book. #1 must read.

[@TertiaryScroat]

@@madlynx1818 I read it at 15 in 1982 and the book does open your eyes, I planned to do an essay on a comparison between that and Thatchers government.

[@BritishMaverickk]

​@madlynx1818 it's like an online law for someone to mention 1984 and say its happening today no matter what year. I see it all the time, every year, ever major election in a major powerful countries. And may you're right that it's happening now..... but people have overused the concept of '1984 is happening now' that it has come to mean nothing and just empty to me.

[@keithhealing1115]

So, so, so happy to see Titus Groan so high on the list. It is my favourite of the Gormenghast books and is absolutely beautiful.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

It's great. I'm so glad I read it!

[@neorich59]

My favourite book of the year has been 11/22/63, my first ever Stephen King read and I absolutely _loved_ it. I also "discovered" Kazuo Ishiguro and have read "Never Let Me Go," which I really enjoyed, so "The Buried Giant" (and the Ken Liu short stories) are definitely on my TBR. BTW, totally off topic, but where do you get your T-shirts from? 😉😉

[@TertiaryScroat]

@@neorich59 man that dissapointed me so much I consider Misery to be one of the great American novels of modern time and the stand blew me away, the Black Tower books are blinding but I found this to take a hell of a long time to do not a lot which you could also say about the beginning at least of the Stand but I didn't feel like I had read a novel length short story.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Outofprint.com

[@neorich59]

@@rammelbroadcasting Thanks! 😉😉👍

[@neorich59]

@@TertiaryScroat I read "The Stand" also, but preferred 11/22/63. Although I enjoyed them both. I'm currently reading "Swansong," as several people have suggested that it's as good as, or "better" than "The Stand."

[@joshjohnson98]

Love your videos, man! I got drawn in seeing the RE20 on the desk and just loved how crisp your audio is, and you’re talking about some of my favorite books. You’ve had a great reading year!

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thanks, it was one of my best years ever! Also, I can't say enough about the RE20 it's amazing!

[@PixReads]

Love the video! My top book of the year is the reformatory! Highly recommend 🤩

[@francb1634]

I 100% agree that Deadhouse Gates is a book that "ages" great. you put it down but it just keeps percolating in the back of your mind, it keeps revealing new depth and nuance as you ponder it.

[@TertiaryScroat]

@@francb1634 I was gifted the first 5 MBotF books minus Deadhouse Gates and I kept reading references to the Chain of Dogs and Coltaine and was fascinated to see what caused this worship etc, I no longer question it, The Chain of Dogs and the siege of Capustan share the same place in my mind where it lives not just rent free but with a full lease in perpetuity.

[@captnsquashypant82]

Your description of flowers for Algernon is spot on. My dad was a big history buff and would rarely read fiction and that what is his favorite book. After I read it when I was a kid he rented the movie Charly that came out in the 60s. It was based on it and we watched it together. I still have it on my shelf but ever since he passed the pages get too blurry every time I try and read it.

[@joegriggs7809]

Im so glad someone else loves gardens of the moon!! You are not alone lol. I will tell you though. Memories of ice.. I read it a few months ago and haven’t stopped thinking about it. The final section of that book is without a doubt the most perfect piece of fantasy I have ever experienced. Excited for you to read it.

[@mayalarsson2380]

Thank you for this! I’m adding some new authors on my tbr👍🏻

[@unimaginativexhandle]

Oh no, Flowers for Algernon was a force read in middle school for me, it emotionally scarred me and was my first existential crisis I didn't recover from it. Cannot be in the vicinity of the book

[@captnsquashypant82]

I love that book. It was my dad‘s favorite book of all time but emotionally I just cannot read it since he passed.

[@anonymes2884]

Oh I like this approach, top 10 you _read_ this year rather than necessarily _from_ 2024 ("Flowers..." is _surely_ the only book where a "typo" can make you cry ?). I'd have to really think about a top 10 (note to self: spreadsheet ?) but "Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea", a short story collection by Sarah Pinsker would be in mine this year (and _probably_ "A Song for a New Day", one of her novels though i've _just_ read that so maybe that's recency bias). Put it this way, her second collection, "Lost Places", is on my list to Santa :).

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@anonymes2884 Man, I really agree with you on the typo thing. Also, spreadsheets are great.

[@samiurai0]

Great list. I've been thinking of starting The Book of the New Sun but haven't gotten around to doing so yet. Same goes for reading Ken Liu. This list makes me want to start them asap.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

They are both great!

[@AnonymousAnonposter]

You made some of my favorite videos in 2024. Yours on sci-fi was one of the best. I had never heard of Gormenghast before. It looks really great, you totally sold it. And unfortunately I haven't read any of Gene Wolfe's books yet. My top ten of the year so far, I hope to maybe read one or two more books before the end of the year. 1- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 9.5/10 2 - Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson 9/10 3 - The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera 9/10 4 - Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos 8.5/10 5 - If on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino 8.5/10 6 - Children of Dune by Frank Herbert 8.5/10 7 - Now Wait for Last Year by Philip K. Dick 8.5/10 8 - Dark Forest by Cixin Liu 8.5/10 9 - Golden Son by Pierce Brown 8.5/10 10 - Neuromancer by William Gibson 8.5/10 (reread, I didn't like it the first time) Honorable mentions, this has undoubtedly been my best year in terms of reading. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien (reread) The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by PKD 8.5/10 Dune, Messiah and God Emperor of Dune (the last one being weaker than the other two) by Frank Herbert Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami 8/10 Nova by Samuel R. Delany 8/10 The Witcher: Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10 (reread) Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein 8/10 The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson 8/10 The Relic by Eça de Queirós 8/10 The Steppe by Anton Tchêkhov 8/10 War Lord by Bernard Cornwell 8/10 Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene 8/10 Embers by Sándor Márai 8/10 Less than 4 stars ranting, but still good: The Terror by Dan Simmons 7.5/10 The Black Company by Glen Cook 7.5/10 Exhalation by Ted Chiang 7.5/10 Misery by Stephen King 7.5/10 Death In Venice by Thomas Mann 7.5/10

[@Morfeusm]

New subscriber here! Just realized you like some awesome books! Also seeing my boy China Mieville mentioned on Booktube it’s always great! I have also read the most books ever this year, probably a wee bit over 40 (if I don’t count graphic novels). Depending how many I am going to manage during the holidays.

[@パンダの死体]

Think my favorite this year was The Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts. Just discovering the Wars of Light and Shadow series is also one of my biggest surprises this year.

[@Chance.Dillon]

That gormenghast video turned me on to pick it up! I plan on finishing it in 2025-but I gotta start it first. And that Malazan experience I feel is so familiar. It’s wild how much the series grows on you as you go. And just sneaks up to the top Solid dang list! Love the videos

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thanks! I hope you like Gormenghast.

[@TertiaryScroat]

Man I can not wait for you to read Memories of Ice. The siege of Capustan is just beyond words. Once you read the series earlier books become even better. I have read the series 6 times and still catch things. Minor characters in TMBOTF are major characters in Esslemonts book like the Crimson Guard. They are not as good as Eriksons but they are about as good as most other fantasy series. My biggest piece of advice for new readers is do not get hung up trying to keep track, just enjoy the writing and trust the author it justcfalls into place as you go. Personally I love being dropped in blind and feeling your way. I think ofvit as a history series covering a certain period, it starts at a certain point without telling you the history that lead up to that point. His experience as an archeologist helps make the antiquity of his world so tangible. Have you read Donaldsons Gap Sequence space opera? He is Eriksons favourite authour and if you read the superb Chronicles of Thomas Covenant I think you will see inspiration for Malazan. The Land where the stories take place is a character itself and it covers incredibly dark ground as does the Gap series. Happy reading dude.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@@TertiaryScroat no I haven't read any Donaldson yet.

[@EricMcLuen]

Just finished Starship Troopers and opted to start Gap rather than a Covenant reread. Mood shifted to sci fi late in the year apparently.

[@TertiaryScroat]

@EricMcLuen please let me know how you get on, I do not know anyone else who has read it and would be interested in your opinion.

House of Leeeeeaves!! Yes! Poetry book. Art book. Prose story. All wrapped up in one.

[@AugustusStephens]

Gardens of the Moon is the best book I have read this year. Loved it. I'm now 7 books into Malazan, but it doesn't get better than the first one. Also finished the Dandelion Dynasty series, but my favourite is still The Grace of Kings, which I read in 6 days last December.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@AugustusStephens The dandelion dynasty just blew me away! I keep recommending it, and I keep getting people who bounce off of Grace of Kings. It's good to hear someone liked it. It wasn't my favorite, but it is the one that got me hooked.

[@Greenslime300]

Midnight Tides gave me similar feelings as Gardens, just that new feeling of exploring the unknown with even more interesting characters between the two sets of brothers.

[@BobJacobs10]

Nice list! I’m one of those crazy people with 100+ books (barely) this year. Commuting daily to work helps 😅 Just finished Gormenghast btw, which I picked up because of you! Loved it, especially the first two books.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Awesome! I'm glad you liked it

[@anonymes2884]

There's a BBC adaptation but fair warning, they didn't get to finish it (also no idea how easy it is to get hold of or how it holds up nearly 25 years later but I enjoyed it at the time :).

[@jamesbittle469]

I am also a super-reader (a term I saw used on another KZbin channel). It's not hard to read an inordinate number of books if you read certain types. Many young adult, middle grade, plays, and graphic novels can be read in a day or less by any normal person. I read sixty-six books this year that fit into those four categories. For everything else, I basically averaged a book read every 3.4 days. I didn't read anything very challenging, or lengthly. I'm saving that for January.

[@BobJacobs10]

@ Goodreads tells me my average lengte of book was 270 pages. I don’t read YA or middle grade, though. But hey, it’s not a competition. Read what you like and how much you like 🙂

[@peteharper2687]

I've been reading Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind, The Wise Mans Fear, The Slow Regard of Silent Things and The Narrow Road Between Desires. I loved them all, but I have to say that the novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things has to be my favourite story that I've ever read. My favourite story ever previous to that had always been The Men Return by Jack Vance.

[@oplawlz]

Now you can come to the same realization that the rest of us Rothfuss fans have - he's never going to write the last book.

[@ettore7595]

Somehow this year I managed to read around 37 books and I'm pretty happy about it! Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion were the absolute favourite for me this time around. Great list by the way! many of them are in my TBR and Book of the new sun is hands down my favourite series of all times. Cheers!

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Hyperion and fall of Hyperion are great! I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the Endymion books, considering I really didn't like them. Also book of the new sun is just functioning on another level.

[@layalialsudairy9992]

I read house of leaves this year and what an experience!, I loved it and I could not put it down. My family couldn’t talk to me for two weeks. I felt I was going crazy trying to figure this book. Its in my top books of the year too.

[@toddblanchard7765]

I started my first reading spreadsheet this year. Great minds. Never heard of Ghormenghast, on my TBR now. My top five books this year… 5 Dungeon Crawler Carl - Dinniman 4 The Cipher - Koja 3 Senlin Ascends/Arm of the Sphinx - bancroft 2 A Canticle for Lebowitz - Miller 1 The Gamesman - Malzberg

[@ToddsBookTube91]

Happy Holidays Rammel!

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thank you! Same to you.

[@78EverybodysFool87]

I feel so validated!! To me, too, Gardens of the Moon was better than Deadhouse Gates. Not that the latter was bad, but everyone kept telling me that a certain part and a certain character would be my fav, but nope lol the former was unbeatable from start to finish.

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

That's a great list. A lot of favorites on here!

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thanks

[@jamessanders9632]

Currently reading Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman and it’s been a great read so far.

[@d.cvijaxo7401]

Good choice with Wolfe! Now on Long and Short Sun. But, for some reason I like most his stories fom 70ties and novels otside series. Try Fifth head of Cerberus for exemple . In Wizard and Knight - His two fantasy books you have more said than in whole thousand pages of Wheel of Time!

[@kruppecauthon3475]

Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates are both excellent for very different reasons. It's an understandable conundrum

[@TertiaryScroat]

Good luck putting Memories of Ice down I couldn't.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

I hear it's one of the best in the series

[@TertiaryScroat]

@@rammelbroadcasting It is probably my favourite, but it is so varied really, a lot of people Say Toll the Hounds others The Bonehunters, you really can not say because the end ripples backwards which is one of the reasons it is so re-readable. BTW at my readingest I never hit 50 books a year but I do tend towards longer books but even then.

[@salavejka]

Awesome. Thank you so much for your videos! I started following it only recently and love it! 50+ significant volumes a year is really great. I also don't understand how people read over a 100 if they are not a series of cozy mystery paperbacks. Now, I'm adding Danielewski's House to my reading list for 2025. If it's as crazy as it sounds, I know I'll love it. Funny enough, it will be the second book with "House" in its title that has such divisive opinions. My first is "The Gray House" by Mariam Petrosyan. Have you tried this one?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thank you. No I haven't read that book. I'll have to check that one out.

[@bhbr-xb6po]

Re: House of Leaves, your description reminds me of a book I just finished: 'Life: A User Manual' by Georges Perec. A puzzling puzzle of a 'novel' about a puzzle maker. Those who made it through either love it or love to hate it

[@jimvaiknoras7822]

Great list. Best book I’ve read this year was. The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. I had been meaning to read it for years. Also in none fiction Nexus by Yuval Narari and Say Nothing by Patrick Keefe. I had a great reading year. The Lies of Aungo and The Truth of Aleke , Blindsight, Dogs of War and The Warm Hands of Ghost were highlights as well.

[@douglasdea637]

I also read Parable of the Sower this year and loved it. Grim and dark but worth reading. Purchased Parable of the Talents but not read yet. I also read Blindsight. It's good, I'll give it 4/5 stars and it has some interesting ideas. But... I dunno. It's got problems. I DNFed Echopraxia 2/3 the way through.

[@jimvaiknoras7822]

@ blindsight was very challenging, I read it in my book club with 2 scientists friends, amongst others.

[@ifeelfantaastic2425]

@@douglasdea637 - you think sower was dark.... get ready for talents.

[@douglasdea637]

@@ifeelfantaastic2425 I remember reading a comment that called Talents was Butler's "masterpiece."

[@ifeelfantaastic2425]

@@douglasdea637 I can't say that, only read the Parable series and Kindred. I do plan on reading the rest of her books soon.

[@ninamckinley]

I have two best books this year. Salem’s Lot and The Silverblood Promise. I am still working my way through House of leaves and I hope to finish it this month but it may end up in next year.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@@ninamckinley awesome! I hope you like it.

[@jackwalter5970]

Titus Groan is the best! Great writing. I just couldn't become interested in House of Leaves. The opening of Deadhouse Gates is the best part of the entire series. GotM is awesome. Wolfe is legendary.

[@captnsquashypant82]

I’m at 124 books this year. I can pretty much listen to audiobooks all day at work and reread the Dresden files which added an extra 16 books onto my number. It is nearly double the amount I’ve read any other year and it felt a bit too much for me. I am definitely gonna scale it back next year.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Oh my gosh.

[@jerryveneman9623]

For me: 41 books and counting, this year. Best books I've read were Dawn by Octavia E. Butler, Roadmarks by Selazny and my favorite this year: Vermilion Sands by J. G. Ballard. BTW. I love Flowers for Algernon. I listened to the audiobook on my long runs and had to find some remote spots to run 'cause I didn't want anybody to see me cry. 😂

[@ChrisJohnson-pr9jq]

Gormenghast is fantastic 🤘

[@esidarapmot]

My top three this year were: 11/22/63 by Stephen King, The Long Walk by Richard Bachman, and The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. Honorable mention to Little Heaven by Nick Cutter and Pet Semetary by Stephen King

[@Dinadoesyoga]

Fantastic list! Mervyn Peake really ruined other writing for me this year. Gormenghast seeped into my bones, I love it so much (Books 1 and 2, that is.) And I must get my hands on a copy of House of Leaves in 2025.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Peake is truly wonderful! I hope you like House of leaves.

[@douglasdea637]

There are three books I read this year that clearly top my list and only two of them are slightly fantasy/sci-fi. Those two are Kindred and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Both are grim, heavy reads. Bad things happen to good people for little reason. Still worth reading. The third is my current read: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Not entirely convinced by all the actions and events of the book (would a defenseless young woman carrying a baby start out on a journey across medieval Europe searching for her lover on her own?) but it is a page turner. Considered by many to be one of the all-time great novels and I can see why. Still don't see the value of Book of the New Sun, it's a crazy mess that makes little sense. But to each their own.

[@nicky7522]

I read only 10 books in the whole year, lol. Every time I hear/see big numbers I feel a bit skeptical and a bit ashamed 🤣 I used to read much more, but now it's a big struggle find the time. Btw, my favourite book this year has been 'The seven moons of Maali Almeida" by Shehan Karunatilaka: the plot was very interesting, I loved the writing style and all the characters. Pretty sad but it gave me food for thoughts for days and that's what I look for normally.

[@omer-sela-rothenberg]

Finally a best of list where I've read three books 😅

[@mistyhammons859]

My friend, I need someone to talk to about Sun Eater. I'm not sure which is my favorite however I just finished Kingdoms of Death and I feel so....cheated? Is that the right word? Anyway, thanks for the recs. Malazan is on my TBR and I've added a couple more.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Really! I just finished kingdoms of death and I definitely didn't feel cheated. Although I knew going into it that it and the book that comes after was written as one book and choped in half to be printed when it got too big. Maybe that's why you felt cheated IDK.

[@mistyhammons859]

I didn't know that, and that could be part of it. It felt like I was being held prisoner (wink,wink) for most of the book, but I owed it to Hadrian to stick it out with him, knowing there would be a payoff. And then....oh. Oh no. Oh. ***SPOILERS*** I expected some heartache. But that felt excessive to me. Maybe I'm being overly sensitive?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@mistyhammons859 I thought it was great! I mean truly awful but that's what made it great. Between the impact of how hopeless a situation he ended up in and the cost of what had to be given to get him out. It was unlike anything that came before. There was so much weight to the book.

[@mistyhammons859]

@rammelbroadcasting Definitely heavy stuff. And honestly, I expected some of what happened, I mean, from a purely writing perspective, there had to be a bit of pruning. I just felt like there was a little bit of, shock for the sake of it. (But then again, we know how much Hadrian loves melodrama.)

[@mistyhammons859]

By the way, thanks for talking about it. I'm always looking for book discussions!

[@Metalmike1289]

I told my parents that I wanted the book house of leaves for Christmas. Can’t wait to read that one.. or at least try to.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Awesome! I hope you like it.

[@EnzymeBondedConcrete]

Curious which Ishiguro you recommend to read first?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

My favorite is Klara and the sun but that seems to be a less popular opinion among Ishiguro fans. You also can't go wrong with Never let me go.

[@LoScrittoreDivergente]

Well, man... 56 tomes, not "little books". That's a lot. (You wouldn't believe how many books one of my beta readers reads. She's a superhero to me.) That said, talking about the important stuff (not the quantity!), I agree with you about Flowers for Algernon (I'd use your words, but I didn't cry). “Gormenghast” is a masterpiece. Anyway, I can't even imagine how many writers Peake has influenced... (Gene Wolfe took something for The Book of the New Sun, in my opinion; maybe I'm wrong) I'm glad you liked Malazan so much (that damn arrow! LOL). You really tempt me with Ken Liu. But right now I have another “monster” in my hands: R. Scott Bakker. I never read anything by Ishiguro: what do you recommend about him? (One novel.) Did I say I want to read more sci-fi? Um... I'm screwed before 2025 has even started!

[@rammelbroadcasting]

My favorite Ishiguro is Klara and the sun, but I think most people prefer Never let me go. Both are great and both are stand alone novels.

[@blacknbluecollarreader]

Flowers for Algernon is in my top 5 this year. Damn I read so many good books this year I don't even know which would be #1. Slaughter House 5, The Scar (China Mievile), Swan Song, Klara and the Sun, The Road, Shadow of the Tort......you get what I'm saying. lol.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Yeah, that's one hell of a list!

[@halpinmatthew]

I’ve come to really enjoy your videos and I have now a massive list of books I need to read, but with your review of your number one book, this has to be next on my list. But I am confused, if you go to Amazon this author has a book called “shadow and claw” and the covers seem to be the same as “The shadow of the torturer“ are these the same books? Did they re-title the book - help a brother out - please

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@halpinmatthew this is a four book series but the books are pretty small. So they have a tendency to sell them in two volumes where they combine the first two and last two books together. So shadow and claw is one volume that contains both the first book Shadow of the torturer and the second book Claw of the conciliator.

[@danielroop3178]

I still think Gardens of the Moon is better than Deadhouse Gates, but I agree they are both great. I just look forward to seeing your review of Memories of Ice - best of the best, imo.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@danielroop3178 I'm looking forward to reading it.

[@nazimelmardi]

So Dandelion Dynasty is sitting on the top yet over Malazan. Correct list. How is Discworld and Realm of the Elderlings? 😁

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Haven't read those yet 🤷‍♂️

[@nazimelmardi]

@ well, you are just filling your fantasy list so… as for scifi I would also recommend Banks - Culture. We put that next to Asimov and Dune in the deep theme type of books. Somehow nowdays tend to drop from fantasy booktuber list. But you can find reviews on scifi channels of it.

[@joaofenelon6914]

9:53 sometimes we just need this

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@@joaofenelon6914 Agreed 👍

[@michelelearner297]

I haven't read most of these, and you do a great job of persuading us to read them :) But I have to ask, did you read any books by women this year, and it's just that they didn't make the top 10 plus 2? Or did you have lots of books you wanted to read (don't we all) and they happened to be mostly books by men? I've tried to follow the "read smarter" annual lists -- the lists are not of books, but of categories. Think "read a book written more than 50 years ago," "read a book by an Indigenous Australian or New Zealander," or "read a book written in second person." I just made those up -- the point is just to try a lot of different kinds of books. Not all turn out to be for me, but, just my opinion of course, how will I know if I don't try? I realize that not everyone wants to branch out, and that's valid. Just a thought, not a lecture of any kind :)

[@rammelbroadcasting]

I am a mood reader and gravitate towards books that really pique my interest at the time. My reading is heavily skewed towards men, but it's not due to any bias it just seems to go that way. This year I actually haven't read any books by females (unless you count manga) whereas last year I had the likes of Ursula K. LeGuin, Shirley Jackson, and P.D. James. Although still heavily skewed 🤷‍♂️

[@RhinoViper]

So, bottom line...you like the weird and trippy stuff. Haha. Good stuff.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thanks

[@AnonymousAnonposter]

He actually likes Dick a lot, like the rest of us. And there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, Philip K .Dick.

[@carltonbauheimer]

Have you read Urth of the New Sun?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Not yet

[@flotilha935]

I think my record of books/comics I've read ina a year (not counting comic issues but the compiled version) was 52.

[@frizzyrascal1493]

Gormenghast is fabulous. Peake was a master.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Agreed

[@SamuelRisley]

"Nothing too philosophical" is a pretty strange take regarding Howling Dark

[@coolpiraterapstar]

58 books is an insane number to me. I think one a month is my pace

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Right! Booktube really increased my reading too beforehand I was probably only reading books in like the 30-35 range. So when I hear people with numbers exceeding 100 I'm like ok but how 🤔

[@coolpiraterapstar]

@ Maybe 😁when I retire

[@AnonymousAnonposter]

Don't let others affect how you feel about the hobby. Some people are eager to compare the number of books they read annually, particularly within the booktube community. Some have even admitted that this diminishes their enjoyment of reading or make them feel insecurity. Many merely listen to audiobooks, focus only on dialogue, and fail to engage deeply with the text or never take notes. It is preferable to read at one's own pace and for personal enjoyment rather than in a hurried manner. In some months, I was able to complete only one book, while in others, I read seven. This variation largely depends on life circumstances, the type of book, and the method of reading.

[@TertiaryScroat]

Putting ANYTHING above the Malazan books is just silly. Wait until you have read the whole series...that will set you right. Obv. Joking but glad you are enjoying it. Still 2 Kharkaness trilogy books, 1 Witness, some Korbal Roach and Bauchalain novellas then you can start on the 14? Ian.C.Esslemont novels.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@TertiaryScroat To that I say have you read the book of the new sun? Because it's great. Also speaking bones is the climax of a series vs the opening of a series 🤷‍♂️

[@TertiaryScroat]

@rammelbroadcasting as a matter of fact I fully intend to take up that particular reccomendation, I like the cut of your jib sir.

[@Weasel3001]

Do you have a goodreads profile?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

No, I never set one up.

[@RhinoViper]

I'm one of the few that didn't bother continuing after the first Dandelion Dynasty book....just didn't work for me.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

As much as I love it I understand why some people don't. 🤷‍♂️ That's why I try to guide people to his short stories first.

[@TertiaryScroat]

@@rammelbroadcasting Loved the Killing Blow and Reave the Just and The Djinn who stands over the accursed was good too. Did you ever read the two book 'Mordants Need'? I always assume MBotF fans would like Covenant too. You can see some of Malazans influence in it and there are not a whole lot as it is considered the most subversive fantasy series.

[@oplawlz]

Gardens of the Moon is a great book on your second read of the series. It's great that you love it, but it just isn't a good introductory book. It's way too thick with characters and concepts that don't make any sense until you're deeper into the series.

[@HeroesofHeaven.]

I tried reading that book, it was tedious and boring. Gave up and booted it and started shadow of the gods 👍

[@itskyyuuuu]

I only read 3 books this year... and 2 were audiobooks lmao

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@itskyyuuuu That's ok there's been plenty of years where I read zero lol

[@sjoerdth]

I'm also on team Howling Dark, it's the most Cyberpunk of the series and the Extrasolarians are the best. Why wouldn't you want to be an Extrasolarian?!

[@jaxpk2669]

Deadhouse wasnt first? no... MoI better come soon! and pls do a spoiler section on it.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Maybe Malazan will do better next year lol. I will definitely talk spoilers 👍

[@arekkrolak6320]

King Arthur is not medieval. But buried giant takes place after king Arthur period

[@tasosalexiadis7748]

Best book I read this year was The Book of the Short Sun.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@tasosalexiadis7748 Is it as good as new sun?

[@tasosalexiadis7748]

@ New Sun is the best but Short Sun is not far below it. In some things Short Sun is stronger though. It has very powerful emotional punches, and goes deeper with themes about society. It reads more like classic literature.

[@ronlussier8570]

Yeah, I liked Titus Groan the best. The third one was a disappointment

[@bazoo513]

11:14 - Then you haven't read collections by Ted Chiang, Ursula K. Le Guin, Connie Willis... Fix that!

[@tanjaj.8274]

Save Urth of the New Sun for january and you will have another No1 for 2025 :)

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@@tanjaj.8274 Right!

[@1OldPacman]

Y'know, 150 sounds impossible to you, but 56 sounds just as impossible to me. I read 6 books this year. SIX. THAT'S NOTHING

[@Archonsx]

why would you want to read a lot of books? it’s destroying the eyes

[@anonymes2884]

I dunno, 6 books that rock your world beats 100 that left you unmoved. Just read what you want when you want I reckon :).

[@AnonymousAnonposter]

If you learned something from what you read and enjoyed the experience, it is ultimately more meaningful than consuming a high volume of superficial content, such as listening to numerous romance audiobooks popularized by booktok... It's almost like going to a few good restaurants a few times a year vs stuffing your face with fast food every week.