Underrated books You REALLY should read!

[@LoScrittoreDivergente]

Man, I love the way you talk about books, with passion and insight... Not so common.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@@LoScrittoreDivergente Thank you!

[@martinbrisebois1831]

​@rammelbroadcasting I totally agree. Since I usually agree about the books I've read (except Emperor God of Dune, which is by far the best of the Dune series), I get very curious about the ones I don't know. I might even pick up The Dark Tower, that I dropped back then as those books were published with the fantastic train....

[@ninamckinley]

You are one of my favorite book content creators and I have picked several after watching your videos, I just finished The road and while I didn’t have the emotional experience as you did, I finished that book in one sitting because I could not put it down. Today House of Leaves showed up in the mail, I’m excited and scared of this book. Thank you for all the time you put into your videos.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thank you so much! I hope you like House of leaves.

[@draglogia5244]

I enjoy your Enthusiastic when you talk about the thing you like and enjoy. I’m always looking forward to your videos because of it.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Thanks! Next up will be Vinland saga so keep a look out for that.

[@ilya1046]

Wow, I was pleasantly surprised to see The Buried Giant on your list! I completely agree, it’s very underrated and I think Ishiguro really showcases his ability to write in any genre.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Yes, from fantasy to science fiction to period pieces, he really does it all. I saw an interview with him where he said he comes up with the characters and the story he wants to tell first and then decides which genre best fits the story after the fact which seems almost backwards

[@marcgoulding5230]

So glad to see attention to Buried Giant! When I recently read Klara and the Sun, someone I read linked it with Never Let me Go and Buried Giant. I absolutely loved Klara, so at some point soon I'll reread Never and Giant.

[@wolfgangoschmann2573]

I believe that Rose Madder from Stephen King is underrated. I’m not that fast of a reader but that book I managed to read within a week which I fast for me. I absolutely loved it and I think it deserves more love than it gets.

[@kl-ge9bg]

I love The Buried Giant. The suspenseful note on which the novel ends is just masterful. The way the couple talk to each other is suffused with a sense of almost suffocating melancholy.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

100% agree

[@danielroop3178]

I read the six main Dune books - struggling through the last two - but they were good and Herbert always has underlying meaning to his stories that are worthwhile. I decided I would read the first two Brian Herbert / Kevin J Anderson books that were purported to be based on Frank’s notes. Oh my lord! After a couple of chapters in, the drop in writing quality was so significant that I couldn’t continue. I’ll never read another Brian Herbert book again!

[@iamikejones]

The buried giant was surreal, dreamy and on the cusp of something inexplicable the whole time. I loved it too.

[@steved1135]

wow Surprised, yet so happy you included King's Wind Through The Keyhole. As an early avid fan of what became the Dark Tower series, I was sad that the books kept decreasing in quality. It was really like King didn't know what kind of story he wanted to tell. So, when this came out, I somewhat reluctantly grabbed it. It's easily my second favourite of the series, after the first. And I love a story within a story mode. Similarly, that's why Mitchell's The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, despite technically being a historical fiction ( which I generally despise... ) is in my top 10 alltime novels. As I've told all my friends, 'The Wind' has to be read by those who loved the Dark Tower, as it really saves the whole thing...

[@stephenfeltner3258]

Thanks for showing some love for Heretics and Chapterhouse ! Everyone seems to love the first book, they eventually come around to the second and third, and occasionally you run into people who actually enjoy God Emperor. But the last 2? Nobody seems to even want to attempt these, which is crazy to me. They are great reads and expand the Dune universe, but try as I might I can't even bribe people to read them! I only know 2 other people in person who have read all 6. Crazy. Anyway, great video and awesome shout out to 2 VERY overlooked books!

[@TheHammy1987]

I wholeheartedly agree on The Buried Giant! My favorite Ishiguro is Never Let Me Go and I went into TBG not knowing what to expect but I ended up really loving it - and finding some very profound messages and themes in there as well. There's a lot to unpack there :) One of the ones I feel is criminally underrated is The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. Most of her works I find are highly praised but that one just seems to have flown under the radar - or I totally missed the hype, because it's quite a few years old by now. I loved it and couldn't put it down - highly recommend!

[@Vainameinen]

I highly recommend "Quantum Thief" trilogy by Hannu Rajaniemi. It may be quite hard from the beginning to understand what's going on due to author's "Show and don't Tell" style, but once you untangle all the concepts, words and ideas, it will be so worth the effort. I've deeply enjoyed reading it for the first time. After re-reading this trilogy for second time, It rises to somewhere around top 3+-1 of my favorite books/series of all time.

[@marcgoulding5230]

I really appreciate your thoughts and your commentary. Because of you, I've now got something like ten tabs open with your suggestions.

[@jeroenadmiraal8714]

I tried the first novel of the Dandelion Dynasty and I couldn't get into it. The writing and pacing felt so un-immersive and emotionally detached.

[@Panagiotireads]

Thanks for the lovely recs.. am definitely adding all of these to my list. I just finished reading this phenomenal collection of fairy tales entitled 'Sillies, Fancies and Trifles' - highly recommend, it's perfect for the season. Keep up the beautiful vids.

[@dkropelnicki9819]

I think I read Wind through the Keyhole in a single sitting, after the series like yourself. Loved it. I’m rereading the series again ~10 years later. I agree it should be saved for last, it’s the cherry on top for sure.

[@rhoadsy]

You might have done this before, but how about a guilty pleasure video going over books you like that aren't necessarily known as amazing works of fiction. For me, I have a soft spot for William Shatner's TekWar series.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@rhoadsy I haven't done that video yet, that's a good idea!

[@anonymes2884]

"Underrated" is mostly subjective and often fairly meaningless as currently used online IMO (it's mostly just a symptom of our fragmented "content overloaded" culture i'd say - people often say it of anything _they_ like that not _everyone_ is raving about and today, that's _a lot_ of stuff). But for the game i'll submit, 1) ALL SF&F short-stories because Booktube etc. seems to barely acknowledge they exist and 2) Iain M Banks' Culture books because they don't get _as much_ love on Booktube etc. as I personally feel they deserve (my probably way off pet theories as to why range from "He's just better known in the UK/Commonwealth and most Booktubers aren't from there" to "The Culture is essentially a socialist utopia and Americans don't like that" :).

[@The_Maeus]

Agree so much about the short stories - a lot of the classic and “new wave” authors were at their best in that format, even ones with well-known, widely praised novels. The two that immediately came to mind for me are Asimov and Zelazny.

[@anonymes2884]

@@The_Maeus Yep, for me getting started (and also just historically, for the genre) short-stories were the bricks the whole SF&F edifice was built from and yet Booktube etc. mostly seems quite unenthused. (i'd have to add Bradbury to your list though of course he's no slouch in long-form either and I think this _is_ probably a bit of a "minority report" but I actually prefer PKD's short fiction too. Sacrilege I know, maybe _especially_ on this channel :)

[@thepacksurvives71]

Not God Emperor of Dune slander 😂 My favorite in the series and one of the best sci-fi books. But I agree the last two books in the series are underrated

[@rammelbroadcasting]

God emperor is so many people's favorite that I was extremely excited when I got to it and then was so let down by it. I'm not saying it's a bad book. Dune is my second favorite series of all time it's just lower on the list than say the first three books for me 🤷‍♂️

[@KitKatMontana]

I appreciate this list. Thank you!

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@@KitKatMontana Thanks

[@cracked-actor]

Galactic Pot Healer is a cool story and something I didn't expect to hear about on here.

[@sampenny4586]

Not only heard of Galactic Pot Healer but also have read it. Not my favourite PKD novel but I still remember the absolutely brilliant game the pot healer is playing at the start of the novel. Having a book title translated by a machine into a different language and then getting it translated back. Its like Chinese whispers where a message is passed along a line of people and you have to work out what was originally said. That really appealed to me, Your love of PKD is what made me subscribe to this channel.

[@lsjansen]

I agree with you about God Emperor. It's an important book to the overall series, but I have a hard time reading it. I love the last two books in the series though. They read like space opera set in a time way after all the historical events in the first part of series.

[@douglasdea637]

I agree that Heretics and Chapter House of Dune should be read. They got some crazy stuff in them (Miles Teg's superpower) but overall are good reads. I disagree with the hatred of God Emperor, it's my second favorite Dune book. Leto II is one of the most interesting characters in all of sci-fi. Granted the plot is rather thin. The underrated books I always call out are Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos novels. Booktubers never mention them. Yes, they can be uneven but at least Brust is willing to experiment. And some, such as Jhereg and Phoenix, are among the best fantasy I've read.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

I haven't read those I'll have to check them out. Also don't think I dislike god emperor because I don't at all, but it is low on my list of best Dune books 🤷‍♂️

[@Ylyrra]

I found God Emperor to be a bit of a slog, and definitely the low point of the Dune series... but have to absolutely enthusiastically agree about Steven Brust, a ridiculously talented author that flies under the radar far too often. There's only one of his books I didn't particularly enjoy, everything else has been a solid 4 or 5 out of 5.

[@Dan-ji4db]

Man, I've read the first 4 dune books and have tried to start Heretics at least 3x and the new characters put me off. Plus the timeline. Never started chapterhouse. Maybe will revisit again in 2025. Also i have wind in the keyhole on my shelf for years in my dark tower section but never read it. Another one to tackle this coming year. Good channel, enjoy your takes and recs. 🤘🏻

[@bluetycoon7]

Armor by John Steakley is I've of those that I never hear talked about, but the structure of that book and the emotional payoffs it has are some of the best I've ever read. I love it a lot.

[@charmainemoore2145]

I just picked up The Lights In The Sky Are Stars on Kindle for $1.99!! I will be starting this later tonight. It sounds fantastic.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@charmainemoore2145 I really hope you like it. I tried not to over sell it, but I really thought it was pretty good 🤷‍♂️

[@amorfatiloveyourfate]

0:38 I thought you said "The Bible" and I had to relisten because I was so caught off guard by it 😂

[@TheLeniverse]

Same. I had to put captions on and go back to check 😂

[@coyley72]

Having finished the phenomenal BLAME! I've now started NOiSE (the prequel), I've started buying Knights of Sidonia. After that I'll be getting Biomega. And because of your review and encouragement I'll also get APOSIMZ. Thanks for your lists

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@coyley72 sounds great! Don't expect Blame levels of greatness but like I said if you go into it looking for Niheis take on Shonen it's pretty good.

[@matthewhockey3473]

I just found there is a kindle version of 'The Lights in the Sky are Stars', going cheap at the moment too.

[@josephmarshall7969]

Check out The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth. Written in the style of old English in a post apocalyptic format. I actually recommend the audiobook as the performance is amazing.

[@cracked-actor]

The Lights in the Sky Are Stars is included in the collection Martians and Madness from NESFA Press which is available as a hardcover and ebook.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

Yeah, someone else said it's available by itself as an ebook, so it's more readily available than I thought. That's definitely a good thing.

[@AugustusStephens]

Good to see some love for the Dandelion Dynasty. I read it at the beginning of 2024 and it's superb. I HAVE read the Galctic Pot-Healer, but it was a long time ago and I have forgotten everything about it, apart from the pot-healing. Maybe it's time I reread it.

[@raygardiner4723]

Handling Sin by Michael Malone The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break by Steven Sherrill Flyboy Action Figure Comes with Gas Mask by Jim Munroe Home Game by Paul Quarrington A few of my favorites that I would recommend to anyone.

[@jimparker9345]

Heretics was my introduction to the Dune series

[@heidi6281]

My favorite most underrated books: Outlaw by Angus Donald ( Robin Hood) & Boudica Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott.. newer books: Glorious Exploits and the Hanuvar Chronicles!!!

[@willlyon7129]

The Neverending Story by Micheal Ende is my favorite underrated book.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@willlyon7129 I have that one in my library but haven't read it yet. I really want to get to it though

[@kolkatabooknerd]

I have suddenly stumbled upon your channel and have been loving all of your contents. You, Mike's book reviews and For the love of comics are three of my current favorite booktube channels. And you got me into reading Philip K dick books. I read The minority report and loved it and am now planning to read ubik. Cheers from India.

[@reedy9333]

Ironweed is a book I got at a secondhand store for cheap. It's about depression era survival, basically ...and yeah, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.And I wonder if you've ever heard of it and I apologize, but the author escapes me at the moment.

[@barq6994]

If I ever finish my book, I hope you get to read it.

[@パンダの死体]

There is actually a kindle version of "The Lights in the Sky are Stars"

[@LyraStitchery]

Wind Through the Keyhole - I haven't read this one yet, but I have read the other books in the series. I will have to check it out. I have not read any of the Dune Dune duology books - I attempted to read the first book, but it was borrowed from the library, and I ran out of time. Speaking Bones - I never heard of this series. But I do love me some good history-style stories. Opossums - how long is this story. I have seen Mangas that are over 100 volumes, and I don't have time for that. 😅 Galactic Pot Healer - I love Philip K. Dick I have a few collections of his work. I will definitely have to read this one. Buried Giant - 😅 I saw the movie Remains of the Day, which I know is not the same. But I haven't read any of his books yet. I may have to pick this one up. The Lights in the Sky are Stars - sounds like a political story that would be part of Ben Bova's Grand Tour series.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@@LyraStitchery Aposimz is like 9 or 10 volumes it's quite short in terms of manga lol

[@AReed030188]

I got all 6 main series Dune books on Audible and listened to them back to back, I definitely ran out of gas at the end of God Emperor and fell off in the first three hours of Heretics and haven't found the momentum to go back into it.

[@Kaiju_Roo45]

I feel like Blade of the Immortal manga does not get it's dues, I absolutely loved it. I also recently read The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley and was a very interesting, if grim, sci fi book with a really cool premise. I definitely wanted more world (or universe) building and history. I think super under rated. Might not be for everyone though.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

I haven't read Blade of the immortal yet. I have some of the deluxe editions but haven't gotten to them yet.

[@Kaiju_Roo45]

@rammelbroadcasting those look beautiful. I got them when they were released as paperback omnibus'. Wish I'd waited for the hard backs!

[@meropale]

I've only ever heard of Kazuo Ishiguro as The Remains of the Day is a deep favorite, but Never Let Me Go was a huge letdown. I am really behind on current books. Need to catch up!

[@msj7872]

I have a very indulgent attitude to anything Dune.

[@marcgoulding5230]

Years ago - like early 80s - I read Zelazny Jack of Shadows and adored it. I went back to it a couple of years ago and still enjoyed. Am I not looking hard enough, or is that one underdiscussed?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@marcgoulding5230 I can't speak for anyone else, but I've not heard of that one.

[@marcgoulding5230]

@@rammelbroadcasting I really dig it - dark side of the planet magic, light side of the planet science... Worth it, I think.

[@nickmur2896]

Gather Yourselves Together by Philip K. Dick. Great realistic novel unjustly forgotten.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

I haven't read that one yet. I have 2 shelves full of paperback PKD books it's just about all of his books, and I'm slowly working my way through them.

[@locolima279]

I'm one of the few who didn't like Dandelion Dynasty. First book was great. Got worse every book & dnf'd book 4 a quarter way thru & I rarely dnf a book. So, I am satisfied with the current level of attention.

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@locolima279 I'm sorry to hear that I absolutely loved that series. 🤷‍♂️ Oh, well, to each their own

[@andriesblabla6724]

Pot healer. One of my first Dick novels. Realy liked it. And it's crazy as shit :D

[@JamesI88]

Where did you get that shirt?

[@josejasso3298]

Thank you

[@RE-xv9fp]

How are people (and by people I don't mean the videomaker) counting manga as "books" nowdays🤔 Literally images and thought bubbles are now concidered "books", really?

[@moshuhnanren5845]

I'm with you there, I don't know HOW people enjoy reading those.

[@daniellion5291]

Books are bound pages of paper with stuff printed on it. I dont see how manga aren't books.

[@susantownsend8397]

I’m not a visual thinker so manga doesn’t do it for me. On the other hand it got my grandson who “hated reading” hooked on story and into reading so I’ll give them a partial pass 😅.

[@itskyyuuuu]

Why haven't you been wearing your hamilton jazzmaster?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

I just forget to put it on sometimes. Actually, I got out of the habit of putting it on when I first broke my ankle and had to spend 10 weeks in bed.

[@5oulcrusher]

Yeah, Aposimz is really underrated.

[@sgtwanderer]

The number of people who have read galactic pot healer is "probably" less than those who have heard of it? 🤔 Pretty safe bet I'd say 😂

[@WickedGoodBooks]

What painting is that behind you?!?

[@rammelbroadcasting]

@WickedGoodBooks I honestly don't know. It was my brother's before it was mine and I've been dragging it around for almost 20 years now 🤷‍♂️

[@BobbyHall-eu1xv]

I agree strongly with The Wind Through The Keyhole, its the last 'new' King book that I really enjoyed, a lot of people don't like the story within a story but then people also complained about Wizard And Glass for it having Roland's past in it, and I loved that one too.

[@wbbartlett]

It looks like you put Dune in the wrong video. This should switch places with Hyperion on the overrated list.

[@52andtuck]

U get excited when u upload sht

[@steve9007]

metro 2033 is the worst book of all time

[@russ9117]

Nah. These are all either overrated or rated just right.

[@GaiatheSage]

mainstream well known books what pathetic 💩 clickbait content.