Where to go in 2025? Plans for the channel and what I hope to read!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone for all the support in 2024! Here's what I hope to do on the channel in 2025!
The Broken Binding special edition of The Way of Edan: thebrokenbindi...
The Way of Edan (audiobook, ebook, paperback): www.amazon.com...
The Prophet of Edan: (ebook and paperback): www.amazon.com...
Return to Edan (ebook and paperback): www.amazon.com...

[@vaughnroycroft999]

I’d like to thank YOU: As a viewer-for having both a soothing demeanor and infectious spirit for all things literary. You’ve been a steadying presence in a tumultuous year. As a reader: I’ve lost track of how many things I’ve read because of you. Including your wonderful trilogy, now one of my all-time favorites! You broaden our world and show us the value of time spent between the covers of fantasy books. As a writer: No one has been more supportive, encouraging, and inspiring to me-and so many other writers-than you, my friend. Can’t thank you enough for highlighting my series once again. Wishing you the loveliest of holiday seasons, and a new year full of wonderful books and bright blessings.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

My thanks for all your support here on the channel, Vaughn! It was also to be able to work with you on the SPFBO team, and I look forward to the future!

[@animexperience4355]

Berserk!!!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I look forward to seeing what all the praise is about!

[@Nasser851000]

Will Phillip become the new Dark Arts teacher next year?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Snape will be jealous!

[@joshall421]

I hope so

[@Dylan_4133]

If you start doing weekly One Piece chapter reviews that would be insanely awesome.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That is my plan, but I still have a ways to go to be current -- lots of good stuff in the meantime, I'm sure!

[@Dylan_4133]

@ so much good stuff. Looking forward to your thoughts!

[@BrianBell7]

Once again, my Saturday morning is happily welllllcooommed to your channel! Just so many fantastic reads upcoming in 2025, Philip! I absolutely love how you are on your own schedule regarding The Stormlight Archives. We share many books on our 2025 TBR! I love when you make me smarter by osmosis! Happy Saturday! Long Live The Quilluminati!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Long live the Quilluminati, and may the Grand Poobah ever tread the path of wisdom!

[@thatinsufferablenerd]

Thank you so much for everything you do. I stumbled on this channel a few months ago through your One Piece videos. I stayed for everything else. It's an absolute delight to find a community that's as passionate about story as I am. I love Dear Dr. Fantasy, and it's a quiet dream of mine to some day be a guest. I love hearing your lectures about the genre, hearing about your writing journey, and keeping up with your TBR. The Quilluminati is such a fun group and every collab you do across BookTube is another insightful pleasure to watch. As an artist and writer myself, it gives me hope that there is such a fervent audience for character driven fantasy like the series I've been at war with my imposter syndrome and general 'not good enough' demons over for two years. Thank you for supporting self published authors. Thank you for giving us your time and your carefully crafted art. Thank you for your love of story. I hope you get to every book you want to read in 2025, and I am waiting patiently for your thoughts on all of them.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

What a beautiful comment! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and in turn I wish you much fulfillment from your writing, and I hope you will kick that imposter syndrome where it counts!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Oh my goodness what a stacked set of reading plans!!! Can’t wait to track your Sun Eater journey, and of course I’m excited for your continuing Dresden one. I loved the first Earthsea book and need to catch up with you on those. And I am soooo pumped for you to get into Warlord!!!!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much, Ben! As you're my Dresden guru, I will be turning to you for a chat eventually, I'm sure. My very best to you for your plans in 2025!

[@andrewhanson405]

I might have to jump on Akira with you, because I've watched the anime back in the 90s and loved it but found out it only tells the first part of the story and I have always wondered how it was supposed to end. Jumping on Berserk after!?!? I think reading Bakker has been grooming you towards the darkness😮 I have that edition of Earthsea because Charles Vess' illustrations looked great but have yet to go through that edition. I should make it a priority read for 2025. Also might have to do a Book of the New Sun reread when you all get to it. Have a great reading year Philip!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@andrewhanson405 Thank you, Andrew! I do like to occasionally read the grimmer side of fantasy, though I admit my preference is for a balance of suffering and beauty. I’m curious to see what I make of Akira, and you are most welcome to read along!

[@theritwickkumar]

Can't wait to hear You talk about BERSERK !

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! I confess I'm a little nervous to read it, but I'm going to give it a chance, and I hope I'll find plenty to admire!

[@gogotaro1]

Thank you for a great 2024 philip. looking forward to an even better 2025, i sure hope Frieren Beyond Journey is in your manga shortlist, i believe you would adore it. It is a story about life, the ways of living life and how you need to enjoy the moment before it becomes a memory. and a bit of magic, but a simple magic system. See you in 2025!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@gogotaro1 Thank you! Frieren is indeed on my list!

[@ironballistics]

Awesome reads coming in 2025! I'm looking forward to it all and I'm glad to see more manga coming. Akira and Berserk are going to be quite the ride. I know you've got it all planned out but I can't help but to recommend something from Osamu Tezuka, the "god of manga". He is well known for Astro Boy but he has authored many other interesting works (My favorite is Black Jack). I would like to encourage looking into his work as he is considered a foundation to all of manga as a whole. I'm sorry for recommending more when your plate is already so full, Philip, and thanks for all the excellent insight and hard work you put into the community!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I appreciate the recommendation! Tezuka is on my radar now!

[@Snally38]

Thanks for another great year of videos, and looking forward to all you have planned for 2025 (especially the le guin content)!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@Snally38 Thank you! For me, Le Guin’s stories are timeless!

[@fourcornersofthepage8374]

With respect, I’m not sure Berserk will be for you Philip - but I’m glad you’ll give it a go!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'll give it a fair shake! Cheers!

[@andrewlavigne44]

Yes! Akira is a classic for a reason and you can see how stunning it would be to experience it in the 80s. If you're looking at the foundational pillars of the medium, be sure you check out something by Tezuka. You might like his Buddha biography considering your background. He's considered something like the Father of Manga, like a Will Eisner if you need an American comics comparison.

[@DoUnicornsRead]

I second Osamu Tezuka! His line work, especially in Buddha, is insane. And of course great storytelling.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Adding Tezuka to my list! Thank you!

[@darKuchiki]

What a great year it's been for your channel and a pleasure for me to follow all your content; I'm sure next year is going to be even better! I will, of course, continue watching your manga journey (these are some fine reading choices, by the way). I will also try to read along with some new series at your pace so I can engage on the same level of discussion and not as someone who has already finished the series for once. I'm looking at the Dandelion Dynasty, Sun Eater, Saxon Stories, or even Dune (I read the first one a while back, but I didn't like it very much, but I heard each book is quite different, so who knows).

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@darKuchiki Thank you so much! It’s a pleasure and an honor to have you along on as many of these reading journeys as you would like to undertake!

[@badguybuster1401]

I read Gardens of the Moon and I am currently reading Deadhouse Gates because of you. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@badguybuster1401 I’m so glad! My best wishes for your Malazan journey!

[@ThrivingWithKat]

I'm very excited to see where 2025 takes you Philip! Many best wishes! And as always, looking forward to your bookish thoughts 😊

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Many thanks, Kat, and all the best to you for your reads in 2025 as well!

[@ZOMGfantasy]

Congrats on the amazing 2024, Phillip, and heres to an awesome 2025 😊

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks so much, Zammar -- the same to you!

[@papyrusted]

I came from Johan’s channel and subscribed!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@papyrusted Many thanks for the sub! 😊 All the best!

[@KalleVilenius]

Since you've been reading a lot of Bakker, I'll draw comparisons between Second Apocalypse and Berserk to contrast them. Both are stories filled with the worst of what humanity (and non-humanity) has to offer, both can fall into the depths of depravity and despair and both even question the very existence of free will. Where they differ though is that Bakker is pursuing answers to intellectual questions while Miura's pursuits are more sentimental, even romantic in nature. Because of this difference, Berserk is not only filled with deep depravity but also great beauty. Miura's pursuit of excellence in his craft as an artist continued throughout his life, outgrowing his obvious influences and eventually relearning drawing entirely when he moved from pen and ink to digital drawing and firing on all cylinders to depict that beauty Berserk is capable of. Bakker had his stuff pretty much figured out when he started writing his big books, but Miura was a much, much younger man when he started Berserk and dedicated his whole (sadly cut short) life to it, maturing with the series and climbing further away from the darkness and towards the beauty as he did so. Think I've said this before but I printed out a spread from Berserk and put it on my wall so it's the first thing I see when I wake up. "Mankind's desire... fantasia." Miura's sincerity always shined through in his work. RIP

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

This is very helpful, Kalle -- thank you! I will try to keep Miura's overall journey in mind when I encounter the bleak stuff early on, and I will be on the lookout for the beauty. All the best!

[@neutral_narr]

I would argue that Mirua's story is more hopeful than Second Apocalypse.

[@jeroenadmiraal8714]

I can highly recommend the manga of Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. An amazing science fantasy epic.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I actually watched the film a few months ago when I went on a bit of a Studio Ghibli binge with my daughter. I loved it!

[@TedReadInstead]

Thank you for this video, Philip. I am unsure why I haven't subscribed to you sooner. I really thought I had months ago! Well, I remedied that. :) This video serves as an inspiration. I'm a VERY new booktuber - a fledgeling if you will - and so I know I need to start planning what my 2025 looks like! Heck, at my age, I need to plan what my next week looks like! ;) I look forward to starting out the new year following your journey and being a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, it seems I need to add "The Way of Edan" to my ever growing TBR! :) Have a blessed Christmas to you and yours!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@TedReadInstead Many thanks for subbing and for including Edan in your reading plans, Ted! Best wishes!

[@MarioBeart]

Exciting news! Can't wait for these new projects and reads.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much, Mario!

[@titantv4567]

I would encourage you to make Sun Eater the number 1 priority. To me, Christopher Ruocchio is the best author working right now by far. I think you will fall in love with the world he has created, his beautiful writing, the complex character study of Hadrian Marlowe and a story that doesn't pull any punches. When we talk about the all time greats, I think there are very few writers, who truly don't have any weaknesses and I believe Christopher Ruocchio is one of those writers. Somebody who loves the art and craft of writing and storytelling and deeply understands what makes certain stories stick with us for the rest of our lives. Like Daniel Greene said, Christopher is standing on the shoulders of giants to reach new heights. And remember at any point, if you think you know what the story is, if you think you know what is going to happen, I promise you, you don't. I hope that made you bump up Empire of Silence to the top of your TBR and made you excited not just for the first book, but for the whole Sun Eater saga. And lastly, the final book - Shadows Upon Time, comes out next year, so there is no better time to hop on the Sun Eater train than 2025, much love.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks so much! I'm truly excited to read the Sun Eater series!

[@michaelgriffiths7603]

Berserk is so good that if you read it , it could get in the next top 10 you make.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I would love that!

[@AReadersJourney]

So excited for all of your plans for next year!!! I just discovered your How to Analyze Stories series with AP, and I'm absolutely loving those! Still making my way slowly through Prophet of Edan, just been so busy with work and school, but I'm loving it! And I have a new favorite character in Galdor lol, he's the best!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'm so glad you like Galdor, Chris! He was easily one of the most fun characters to write. All the best!

[@N.A.Summur]

Looks like a lot of awesome reads! You also got me to put some of those self-pubs on my TBR!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Whatever books you read in 2025, I hope you'll love them all!

[@N.A.Summur]

@ thanks! Same to you!

[@Johanna_reads]

I love your enjoy-or-die commitment to The Warlord Chronicles! We can’t have you shutting down your channel, so you will have to read and love it! 😂 While the first book is exposition-heavy, I am extremely confident you will be singing its praises! Starting The Dandelion Dynasty and continuing the Wars of Light and Shadow will be so wonderful! I don’t mind taking those series at whatever pace works for you. I’m just thrilled to be a fellow reading companion! 😊

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m fairly exposition-tolerant compared to most readers, I think, and I totally get the need to do a lot of exposition in the first book of a series. I fully expect to love Warlord Chronicles. I’m excited for our discussions in 2025!

[@curtjarrell9710]

Wow! I'd call this Title Wave 25. Happy reading.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! An apt title. My very best to you, Curt!

[@DoUnicornsRead]

Wishing you all the best with your reading and channel plans, Philip! But you might have to use that time expanding spell quite a lot to read everything.😁 There is definitely a lot that interests me as well and where I'm very keen to hear your thoughts. Like those blasts from my past like Akira and Gormenghast. And of course Le Guin! I promise you that you will read everything that's in that collection. Love that you will continue to explore Octavia E. Butler. And like you I can't wait for Mark Lawrence's next book. Have a wonderful weekend!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much, Angela! You are probably right about Le Guin -- it would be a shame not to read everything I can by her!

[@brancellbooks]

I’m looking forward to the new year, and some of your planned reads-I’m especially looking forward to those lectures you mentioned! I have a deep love of fantasy and I’ve long wanted to learn more about the genre from a genre history & literary analysis point of view.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much! I enjoy engaging with essays on the topic of fantasy by authors like Tolkien, Le Guin, Donaldson, and many others, so I hope to put out some videos on some new ones in 2025.

[@Usernameforsf]

Wow! That’s a very ambitious 2025, love it! I will follow your example and try to push myself a little more next year :). Regarding dear doctor fantasy, for me, it really helps when those kind of videos have time stamps in them, so that I can pick the topics I’m interested (although I have no idea if that’s too difficult or too much work)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks so much! Time stamps for DDF would be a very imprecise art since we tend to wander a lot in the conversations, but I'll give it some thought. All the best!

[@leetmeatz]

Congrats on a great year! As a new fan of your channel, you reeled me in with your entertaining analysis and honest appreciation of One Piece. I’m not a huge novel reader, but you convinced me to check out the bloodsworn trilogy which I’ve actually been really enjoying! Berserk is indeed a breathtaking read with some amazing eye candy to boot, so that’s a solid choice. In that same vein of bleak fantasy epic storytelling, I’d also recommend checking out a manga called CLAYMORE. I actually like that one even more than Berserk.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'm so glad you've enjoyed Bloodsworn! I'll add Claymore to my list of manga to check out. Cheers!

[@sythrin144]

I always love your videos. Because they are so sincere and authentic with your presentation. I do hope you find the time and enjoy the manga that I have already sometimes recommend here: Kingdom. The historical retelling of the unification of china. It is quite long. But the best manga out there for great battles. With some of the most interesting strategies for battle.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much for your kind words! Kingdom is still on my list, but I'd love an official translation for it. All the best!

[@sythrin144]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yeah I get that. Most people are just reading it online. But the translations by the community are realy good.

[@marianneguevara8279]

That’s a mighty tbr Philip!! Very excited to hear you’re rereading The Book of the New Sun! I’ve actually started reading The Shadow of the Torturer. I’ll definitely been taking my time with it. I’m also very excited to get my hands on The Book That Held Her Heart! Lawrence said it’s a heartbreaker. Wishing you all the best this coming year! Lastly, yeah Gormenghast! It’s a new favorite series of mine and I had such a fine time talking about all the books with Evie! Looking forward to your thoughts once you get to it ☺️

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I too am worried about the possibility of heartbreak while reading The Book That Held Her Heart! Thank you, Marianne. By the way, I left you contact information last time we exchanged comments so we could get in touch about DDF. I haven’t heard from you, and there’s no pressure whatsoever, but I thought I’d mention it in case you did reach out but I didn’t get the message. All the best!

[@heidi6281]

I dnf’d Mort but absolutely loved Wyrd Sisters! I think that book has everything, a love letter to theater & nature at the same time.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I have Wyrd Sisters and am excited to get to it -- it's probably next after Mort, actually!

[@MattBramer]

Philip, a true joy watching your content!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much, Matthew!

[@TomOrange]

Awesome plans for next year! I am very much looking forward to While Darkness Gathers. With some foundational manga series you should add Dragonball to the list. It was the stepping stone for a lot of shonen manga that came afterwards like One Piece. Also as someone who enjoys DDF I look forward to see what you do with them lives could be interesting but I also enjoy the one on one conversation you have with your guests.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@TomOrange Thank you, Tom! I appreciate the advice in regard to Dragonball, and also the interest in While Darkness Gathers. Speaking of DDF, I’d love for you to be a guest in 2025!

[@TomOrange]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I would love to come on anytime!

[@amy_harboredinpages8272]

Happy 2025 reading Philip! 💙📚📚📚🥰📖📚📚📚💙 So many great stories to come! I've also only read the first Dune book.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much, Amy!

[@Merdragoon]

It sounds like you are finally able to catch up with your origonal backlog you wanted to work on in 2023 and 2024. Which is nice because that means you're able to join in on more conversations that you've been wanting to be part of (Berserk and Akira are major classics. I will say though Berserk is under the "Sword and Sorcery" genre of Fantasy, so you'll probably notice it's not going to follow the typical tropes you're used to in Fantasy. It's going to be weird, horror leaning and it's not really about "saving the world" but more interpersonal conflicts. It does also have "Grim Dark" elements like Ambercrombe, but I would argue it's still not to the same in what people see as grim dark.) My goals start this month: Finishing "A Soul to Keep" as it's the buddy read I had been working on and want to finish it before the end of December (lost track of it due to everything happening around me). I want to finish that so my buddy read people and I can start a new buddy read come 2025; I stared "The Crane Husband" and I want to finish that before December; And start "Mortal Follies" so when it comes the new year, I can have that at least started. As for my goals for 2025: Get no more stuff your Kindle day free books and read the books I already have; Continue series I started (Dresden Files, The Mage Wars (Mercades Lackey), The Memoires of Lady Trent, The Broken Earth Trilogy, Earthsea, The next book of Song of the Scourgelands series, And The Gentleman Bastards), And finish "A House with Good Bones". Also read more libaray books. Pretty much this is me doing my less consummerism era. Also not to worry so much of book count but at least keep consistant in my reading enough where I'm finishing them decently.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Those are excellent goals, and I love the idea of prioritizing quality over quantity. My very best to you for much fulfillment from your reading!

[@Merdragoon]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Yeah, this became a conversation with one of my buddy read friends who was the one showing me the stuff your kindle day stuff and we both realized we just need to read more of our books instead of just getting more. I've noticed more monster romances are actually be put in the libaray so I don't feel guilty in slowing down in all. A lot of the Stuff your Kindle Day books are on my TBR at least so I can safely say I'm working on said TBR. (435 books in total including the ones I don't own). I'm also hoping that this shift will also help me be better at buddy reads where I'm not always the last one still reading it. (I do want to continue the Duskwalker Brides series as a buddy read, but we're taking a break to start a trilogy instead upon my request so I can be in a better headspace to continue it. Right now it's between The Last Herald Mage trilogy (it would be a reread for me) or the Mage Wars Trilogy (reread of the first book).)

[@frosty3393]

Sun Eater! Hype

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'm excited for it!

[@philipmarsh2172]

31:44 What has come before, Dr. Chase? The darkness comes before.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@philipmarsh2172 Exactly! 😁

[@philipmarsh2172]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasyis next year’s tbr conditioned ground?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@philipmarsh2172 Very much so!

[@MicahHarris-k9m]

Thanx so much for the kind words, Philip, and your ongoing support of me and my writing. And you should check out the 80s anime movie version of "Akira." It was filmed before the manga series was finished coming out. It is easily in the top five of the best animated movies of the 1980s -- intellectual, visually wonderful, and contains some of my still-favorite, Post MCU craze, superhero (actually supervillain) action put on screen. It's an incredible cinematic achievement, and remains a testimony to the enduring creative possibilities of traditional, hand drawn animation.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for that recommendation, Micah -- I think I'll follow it! I look forward to reading your fiction!

[@RedFuryBooks]

I'm very excited for you to focus (hopefully) on Guy Gavriel Kay. I have zero doubts that you'll find a personal connection with his works as I have. I've read 9 of his 15 and plan on finishing the rest next year. I'll be starting Dragonbone Chair on January 1! I'm leading a read along on my channel and on the discord, so jump in if it works for you!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'd love to join the read along you're having for Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, but I'm afraid I won't be able to due to my SPFBO reads and buddy reads I need to finish before starting a new one. Let's see, though -- perhaps I won't be able to resist! Regardless, thank you, Josh!

[@iSamwise]

Sounds like a great year of reading! I very much look forward to your reread of Book of the New Sun! Did you get a chance to read Urth of the New Sun on your first read? I definitely would encourage reading that along with the main four as that book contains the many of the payoffs to Severians journey that’s set up earlier. It answers a lot of questions and Severian becomes more of a good person! So that’s good! Haha I’ve heard of Anna Smith Spark but haven’t read her so I look forward to seeing what you think of her books!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Sam! I can see we're going to have to have a conversation about Book of the New Sun someday. My plan is reread BOTNS first, and then read Urth. At that point, I feel like I better like Severian . . . Ha ha! All the best!

[@iSamwise]

@ Not that you need to add anything else to the ever growing TBR but Wolfe does have a duology called The Wizard Knight that apparently pulls a lot from Old English and Norse myth which sounds up your alley. I haven’t read it yet but the description sounded like a Dr. Chase thing. Haha

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@iSamwise Very tempting!

[@momo_genX]

I'll repaint that red wall in the background a better color if you let me get that poster of your awesome book cover, Dr. Phil. Satire! In all seriousness, Merry Christmas and I look forward to a great 2025.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Merry Christmas to you too, John!

[@mozz9900]

I have loved watching your videos, this is my favorite account on the app! A lot of one piece fans also like the manga series hunterxhunter! I really recommend it for you :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you so much! I believe I’ll read Hunter x Hunter after Berserk. All the best!

[@akellerhouse83]

You do a ton of collaborations! I often wonder how you have time for so much reading and making videos, and being a professor. I work in a laboratory from 7 to 3:30, and I feel like i barely have time for reading unless I ignore my family and stop going to the gym. Lol. I'm trying to read Wind and Truth, but I'm only 300 pages in. If i said that to a non fantasy reader, they probably would think I was doing well. But we all know better. 😂

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! That is so true -- fantasy readers are a different breed! Best wishes, Amanda!

[@Ultimate_Ace]

One Piece and Berserk are my goats. Berserk is absolutely amazing. I can't wait for that one.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'm looking forward to it!

[@paulwilliams6913]

I’m actually reading Grace of Kings right now and loving it! It’s also helped me realize that I’m finally recovering from the dissertation experience, because it’s the first book in a long while that makes me eager to finish work sonó can read more. Like you, I’ve only read Tigana of GGK’s oeuvre, back in 2012. I’m actually gonna be reading Lions of Al-Rassan next. In 2025, I’m gonna reread New Sun, then read Urth and Book of the Long Sun. Sun Eater is also coming up quickly. And I’m finally gonna bloody read Gormenghast in 2025! (It’s been on my shelf since 2017 and I’ve been saying it was a priority ever since…) Library of America Le Guin! Brian Attebery (the editor for the series) is an excellent man and scholar. If you make it to ICFA I can introduce you to him :) I’d definitely recommend his scholarship, especially Strategies of Fantasy and Stories About Stories.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Paul! Sounds like we'll be reading some of the same book next year. It would be very cool to see you at ICFA -- I'm still hoping to make it this time. All the best for your continued post-dissertation recovery!

[@RhysWritings]

I also have The Sun Eater Series on my 2025 looking forward to starting it and starting Wars Of Light of Shadow i'm ready to get my hair blown back! I loved Gormenghast it has such a unique and interesting characters and such a fleshed out world so I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the trilogy :) Good luck with all those plans that is a lot of books!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks so much! Our hair will be blown back so much that we might want to consider wearing a helmet while reading!

[@cipriansirbu3699]

Great video,definitely not long enough 😅.I'm glad to be hier and support the most friendly person on this platform.Thank you for your kindness and consistency regarding quality content this past year. A lot of my absolute favourites on your list Sir,can't recommend Sun Eater enough and I think you should read The Lions of Al-Rassan after Tigana,absolutely loved it same with The Warlord Chronicles. Happy readings.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! Thank you, Ciprian! 😊

[@EresirThe1st]

Very cool and very inspiring to see you looking forward to all these series. I'm sure you'll love Berserk. You should be aware that in terms of narrative Dune sort of operates in duologies; Dune Messiah is a real sequel to the first book while Children of Dune is almost entirely setup for God Emperor of Dune.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the tip in regard to the Dune books!

[@SamNot-so-wise]

Wowsers. Ambitious indeed. But more importantly, very exciting! What’s more fun for people like us than having so many great books to look forward to? Dandelion Dynasty is my priority read for next year. Should you need another voice in the conversation you need but ask. Otherwise I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ambitious? Moi? I'll talk to Johanna about collaborators for Dandelion Dynasty. I think I might have promised a couple they could join already, but I'll be damned if I can remember who . . . It would be awesome to have you on board, Sam!

[@SamNot-so-wise]

@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy haha easily done. No stress or pressure. Would be great to join but like I said, I'll be happy just to follow along :)

[@kyrosv1289]

I really like your approach with Dear Doctor Fantasy Philip!! Please don't change to LIVE, there are others doing Live, I'd prefer if you'd keep your more thoughtful and more naturally paced one to one conversations!! If you want do some Live, do it especially with returning guests, but your one to one interviews are very good! And a reminder... Please listen or watch the video from Jared Henderson: Why we can't focus He released it just a few days ago. So, with your one to one conversations you are at the very least forcing your guests to not multitask and practice focus and attention!! And the "very few" who consume your Dear Doctor Fantasy (as it has been) are experiencing a natural conversation one to one.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I like this advice! Thank you! 🙏

[@notrixamoris3318]

HELL YEAH AKIRA!!! I suggest finished the manga first before you watch the EPIC FILM...also, "word from the wise" please put akira especailly berserk under lock n key coz if someone close to you might see them and read them. They might give you a stinky eye at minimum...

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the heads up!

[@momo_genX]

I don't normally comment twice on a video, but I commented early, and just now reached the end of your video where you are talking about live streams. I like live streams because you can engage with the content creators, and don't normally go on the ones where the creator doesn't pay attention to chat, because I like to attempt to make them break/laugh, and set the mood of the stream to be fun and light. That being said, some of my Shenanigans are not appreciated by the audience, some creators, and (more than anything) the creators by pressure from their audience. Not everyone can juggle chat and pay attention to both the guests and the stream in a way that makes a great Live, and I respect the decision you have made to not interview your guests while on a live stream due to your attention span. That being said, you are still the go-to guest for BookTube live streams, as you can take a joke, are pleasant, and also have great wisdom to add. Please continue to post your involvement on other creator's streams so I can continue to attend the best Lives.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@momo_genX Many thanks for the encouragement, John!

[@looler12123]

Excited for Dresden cos that's what I'm reading right now.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

My best wishes for your Dresden read!

[@thefantasythinker]

Of course, I'll be reading the new Lawrence book right along with you! Also, I may jump on th e Suneater read along with you when you get to that. I would highly recommend Lone Wolf and Cub for manga, especially if you want to go truly classic. Cheers!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Yes! We definitely need to get together again to discuss The Library Trilogy, Jarrod. I look forward to it!

[@vertildr3305]

I have a feeling the 4th dune book would be your favorite of the six. I hope you read to that one at least!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for letting me know!

[@bradmiller3367]

I appreciate your intents for the next year, though perhaps ambitious; you are the only one who can determine such, of course! Where does the writing fit in??🤔

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! It is highly aspirational, to be honest, and some of these books will end up in 2026, but let's see what I can do! Cheers, Brad!

[@MacScarfield]

«The Sundered Nation», «Dandelion Dynasty», GGK, «Sun Eater», «Warlord Trilogy», «Berserk» & «Memory, Sorrow & Thorn»! 🤩🙌 My own SFF/Historical Fiction 2025 TBR list: «Doom of Destiny» (Sundered Nation #3) by Vaughn Roycroft (Epic/Historical Fantasy inspirert by the Historical Ancient Goths and the Rohirrim of Tolkien, with a dash of «Dune») «After Rome» by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fiction set after the Roman Withdrawal from Britain) «Cort Adeler» by Ole Henrik Gjeruldsen (Historical Biography about the 17th Century Norwegian Mercenary and Highly Decorated Admiral for the Venetian Navy) «Anitra» by Hilde Susan Jægtnes (Alt-History Fiction, about an imagined granddaughter of the Composer Edvard Grieg living in Pre-WW2 Fascist Rome, torn between her creative dreams of creating a Mythological Grand Opera with the support of the totalitarian regime and her lesbian lover, a Jewish musician…) «Leviathan Falls» by James SA Corey («The Expanse» #9, Space Opera) «The Children of Gods and Fighting Men» by Shauna Lawless (Historical Fantasy set in Viking Age Ireland) «Alamut» by Vladimir Bartol (Philosophical Historical Fiction, set among the Order of Assassins Sect during the Crusades, with parallels to the growth of Fascism in Bartol’s own 1930s) «Mannen som bar solen» («The Man Who Carried The Sun») by Kristian Bang Foss (Historical Fiction set in the Nordic Bronze Age) «Hengist» by Sean Poage (Historical Fiction Novella, set during the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain) «All the Horses on Iceland» by Sarah Tolmie (Historical Fiction/Fantasy Novella about an Medieval Icelander’s Fantastical Journey to Central Asia) «Bloodstone» & «Dark Crusade» by Karl Edward Wagner (Both in the «Kane» series, S&S/Proto-Grimdark) «Lancelot» by Giles Kristian (Arthurian Fantasy/Historical Fiction) «Sun Eater» 3-6: «Demon in White», «Kingdoms of Death», «Ashes of Men» & «Disquiet Gods» by Christopher Ruocchio (Space Opera) «Navola» by Paolo Bacigalupi (Political Fantasy inspired by Renaissance Italy & «The Godfather») «Carthage Ascendant» by Mary Gentle (Book of Ash #2, Alt-Historical Military Fiction inspired by the Mercenary Wars of the Renaissance) «The Blood Dimmed Tide» by Stephen Aryan (Historical Fantasy inspired by the Mongol Conquest of Persia) «Firelord» by Parke Godwin (Arthurian Historical Fiction) «Women of Troy» by Pat Barker (Historical Fiction take on the Iliad, from the perspective of Achilles’ and Agamemnon’s «War Bride» Briseis) «The Crystal Cave» by Mary Stewart (Arthurian Fantasy from the perspective of Merlin) «The Wolf Den» by Elodie Harper (Historical Fiction set in the, eh, «Red Light District» of Ancient Pompeii) «Informocracy» by Malka Older (Cyberpunk) «Brothers of the Wind» by Tad Williams (Prequel to «Memory, Sorrow & Thorn», Epic Fantasy) «The Folding Knife» by KJ Parker (Political Fantasy) «Pompeii» by Robert Harris (Historical Crime Fiction, set against the Destruction of Pompeii) «The Bright Sword» by Lev Grossman (Arthurian Fantasy) «Augustus» by John Williams (Epistolary Historical Fiction about the Eponymous Roman Emperor’s Life) The “Aspect Emperor» series by R. Scott Bakker (Epic Dark/Grimdark Fantasy, sequel series to «The Prince of Nothing» Trilogy) «Written in the Dark» by Guy Gavriel Kay (Published in 2025, Fantasy inspired by Medieval France) Cheers Professor!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, MacScarfield -- if there's anyone who can make me feel like I'm not being too ambitious with my reading goals (and I am), it's definitely you! I hope you'll love everything you read in 2025!

[@adamcrawford6421]

I am very much looking forward to you revisiting Guy Gavriel Kay's writing. He is my favourite fantasy author!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@adamcrawford6421 I am excited to delve much further into Kay’s books!

[@esmayrosalyne]

Ambitious or delusional? Who even cares 🤣 Hope these all live up to your expectations, seems like you are setting yourself up for an incredibly exciting year of reading! Especially eager to hear your thoughts on the SPFBOX books and Dandelion Dynasty. And good luck with focusing more on your own writing again, I am excited for the companion sequel!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Where even is the line between ambition and delusion? Ha ha! Thank you, Esmay!

[@a_paige_turner]

i loved berserk and would love to hear what you thought of it! also if youre going back to dune i hope you read god emperor of dune because i felt like i was too dumb to understand it lmao, would love your indepth thoughts on it because i was getting lost oh also i read parable of the sower and talents and just want to hype talents! i thought it was even better than sower in my opinion so definitely worth checking out. im reading her xenogenesis trilogy right now and loving that even more!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@a_paige_turner Thank you! It’s good to hear that you found Parable of the Talents even stronger than its predecessor. Sounds like a must read!

[@daarioforel]

You often say that reading Earthsea 'feels like coming home', have you read Le Guin's experimental novel 'Always Coming Home'? If not you should definitely add it to read alongside the Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed. It is a *monumental* and extremely beautiful work of imagination and language, a far-future post-post-post-apocalypse with some of the most original, intricate, challenging and meaningful worldbuilding you will ever come across. And it is criminally underknown. I think it's her greatest work.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That sounds like a perfect recommendation! Thank you!

[@someokiedude9549]

That’s funny Philip says that. I had another friend who said also said that exact thing about Earthsea.

[@Talking_Story]

You may actually have a stack more daunting than mine! Makes me feel bad for adding to it 🤣. Think you will really enjoy Songs of Chaos just got to interview him at Dragonsteel. Warlord will be an absolute fav!!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! No worries, my friend. I'm very much looking forward to reading your ARC soon. Maybe even sooner than I thought if I can get all these papers graded!

[@Talking_Story]

@ you assigned em this close to the holidays?!

[@ozkantd]

I dont know if you plan on reading Akira physically or digitally, but you should know the standard english physical copies of Akira have fully mirrored art and speech bubbles. As one of the first manga translated for the west, publishers didn't think people would understand the right to left reading. So if you want a non-mirrored experience you'll want to find a digital source that has the un-mirrored art.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@ozkantd Good to know! Thank you!

[@JoseAlvarezV]

I don't know if this is something you might be intersted in doing, but It would be cool to do a read along, like a digital book club to read the Sanderson books

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That’s a cool idea! I don’t think I have time to squeeze it in now, but I’ll keep it in mind.

[@heidi6281]

Philip did you read The Great Change ( And Other Lies) an Age of Madness novella only on ebook? I do not remember seeing a review! Also I think you have a little piece of book heaven still sitting on your shelf called Daughter of the Empire!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ah, yes! I do have another thing in First Law to read! Yay! I forgot about that novella.

[@heidi6281]

Please start with Lions of Al Rassan & Song with Arbonne for GGK! I mean start with the best. I just started the Last King of Osten Ard and nobody closer to Tolkien than Tad Williams!!! I am listening on audio and I can not miss a word, every word has a purpose!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Both GGK and Tad Williams are among the prose masters -- I'm excited to read more by them!

[@King_Zahndo3612]

I can’t stress this enough You HAVE to try Death Note it’s amazing It’s slightly above 100 Chapters

[@Gl1tch2263]

I’d bet the house that you get all of this done next year. And with time to spare!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’ll do my best! 😊

[@heidi6281]

If you want a great guest, who is full of Gravitas for vintage science fiction have on Jack@Scifi Finds, he needs more eyes on his newish channel. His British accent is so much fun, make sure he says “Melange” several times. He looks young but is almost 30 so he does have a lot of books under his belt!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

A British accent is always a plus in my book!

[@ryanfebrianto8973]

Oh yes. Berserk is in the list. Then i would like you to consider to add this series with kings and generals theme. Sam Kok (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) by Luo Guanzhong. Reading Kingdom manga by Yasuhisha Hara made me purchased the whole series of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The charms are definitely the politics or maneuver amongst royal court, the lobby between factions, and the war itself. For small synopsis it's about the conflict among three factions that led by Naive lord Liu Bei, pragmatic schemic, viper prime minister Cao Cao and a young king Sun Quan from Sun. And enter the fourth player who made this game more chaotic, the Great General Lu Bu (I got that after I played dynasty warriors game, but still I need a full context from the book). Knowing you loved kings and generals story theme. It is definitely should be added on the list. And now I currently on the first arc for the introduction and the interaction between Liu Bei and Cao Cao and it is quite interesting for me. For what I can say is, the Game of Thrones is always happened anywhere anytime, the only difference is just the culture but the alliance and the betrayal were pretty much the same. And yeah it is already officially translated into English. So yeah it is going to be easier for you to read/find Samkok than Kingdom manga. And I also heard this series is influential for the Chinese Happy reading professor

[@Shadow-fb2ec]

Outside of akira I'd say if you want to see the routes of manga, then the 2 most important options would of course be Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka Tezuka is considered one of the forefathers of manga in general and more or less the creator of the shonen category in general He is one of the most important Japanese creators ever The next is without a doubt the most famous animanga of all time being dragonball by akira toriyma Sadly Toriyama passed away this year but his impact on not only japan but global pop culture can't be understated and especially his impact on the big three Those being of course One piece, Naruto and Bleach (Since you're reading OP I do recommend the other 2)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Many thanks for the guidance - much appreciated!

[@Page_max]

I was actually hoping that Hunter x Hunter would be in your TBR, as Berserk and One piece are. I highly recommend hunters x hunter, it will be one of those series that is just special, like MalAzan and wheel of time.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Hunter x Hunter is most likely right after Berserk! Cheers!

[@Page_max]

@ yeeeee i will bring in 1000s of viewrs by advertising your channel to the community

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

That's cutting back the reading to focus on writing? 😂 GGK and Gormenghast alone can both make your year, not even touching some of the other picks here. You're in for a great year!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! Keep in mind that many of these will likely roll over to 2026 . . . But I will try!

[@svgftw351]

if you want to get more into the early days of manga then I would look into osamu tezuka he's the father of modern manga with several classics worth reading

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you!

[@Degrad21]

funny, I planned to read a lot of those books in 2025 as well

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That's because you have excellent taste!

[@thatsci-firogue]

Given the subject matter of a Holy War, Lions of Al-Rassan would be a great place for younto go after Tigana. Given your love of Norse culture maybe Last Light of the Sun as that's a loose reimagining of Alfred's England during the Great Heathen Army.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Those two are very high up on my GGK list! Cheers!

[@ryanfebrianto8973]

Oh ya I forgot to tell you to also consider Attack on Titan manga by Hajime Iseyama. The size was only 139 chapters barely half the size of berserk. With your reading pace you'll finished it in no time. I can't tell you any general thoughts because it could spoil such condensed story with heavy theme. I think you can ask Merphy about it, knowing she loved it

[@DefinitelyNotAnUndercoverCop]

I made a very large mistake, I just started The Wandering Inn series then I found out there's 14 books and each one is around 1500 pages.......I don't know what''ll be worse, if I like it or if I don't like it since I already told myself I'll give it till book 4 lol

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

That is a massive series!!!

[@jcasey0257]

I warn you Berserk is an amazing series but I could see you be very disturbed by much of what is in the series. It’s very much in your face with everything it has to offer. I’d argue it’s almost opposite to one piece in that one piece has a narrative focusing on tragic events and it shows it. But it doesn’t really milk the horrific acts, instead one piece focus on the human experience and not the reality of the horrors going on. For example Alabasta, we know people were dying of thirst, major civil conflict, all the wrongs of situation. I’d argue that so many realities slip from our consciousness because he doesn’t hammer down on everything all the time like Berserk would do. I’d argue this because many fans see one piece as very silly which it very much is, but the layer beneath is just as sadistic and heart wrenching as a series like Berserk but you’d have to think more about the events in one piece rather than Oda wanting to torture you with the grim reality since he is doing that already. He just doesn’t beat the dead horse all the time so people let horrors not focused on at all slip by. Berserk forces you into that moment in time. Every uncomfortable and disturbing second of this reality. That series wants to shove in your face, draw it out, and make it an unsettling and dark experience. I’d call it sadistic and truly a gruesome experience but it is certainly really good.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I will go in expecting trauma! Much appreciated!

[@TKE_S19]

I would recommend you a manga called “Vinalnd saga”. If you like vikings, that manga will get you a surprise

[@jch5150]

Why don’t booktubers do more live buddy read discussions during the reading of the chosen book? It would be fun to join the scheduled discussions while a group of us are involved in the buddy read. Then it will be on KZbin in case we miss the live discussion. Just wondering…

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It's an idea! I would find it difficult to moderate myself, but I bet someone like Jimmy could manage it. Cheers!

[@jch5150]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Jimmy could definitely do it!

[@krzysamm7095]

If you need a palate cleanser that’s manga I would recommend The Spy X Family. The little girl is a pistol.

[@HiddenMugs]

You might also enjoy Death Note (investigative/supernatural) and Full Metal Alchemist (fantasy/adventure/mistery) They are both among the most loved anime and manga ever and are relatively short

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you!

[@reltcstone2]

Excellent choices for both Akira and Berserk. I think you will love them both. The Akira movie is sooooo worth watching. 10/10. The berserk anime and movies are not worth watching or considering.

[@Zeer0042]

Hi Dr Chase, I don't know if you'll see this, but I would like to ask an expert. How can I read more? I read often and for many hours, but I still find myself really slow. I know inherently this isn't a problem, and that I shouldn't compare myself to others, but I still see all these awesome stories I want to read and I feel inadequate that I can't read faster/more. Do you have any advice? Thank you :)

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m actually a slow reader too, but being slow readers, we retain more of what we’re reading, which is a good thing in my book (sorry for the terrible pun). It’s possible to read faster, but you’ll end up absorbing less and, I think, appreciating less - especially if it’s a well written book with rich prose to savor. Quality over quantity!

[@Zeer0042]

@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Thank you for the reply! I think I'll keep reading at the same pace but try to add more hours (somehow). Looking forward to another year of videos from you 😄

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@ Best wishes for your reading!

[@joshall421]

🎄

[@jeroenadmiraal8714]

SOMEONE CALL EVIE

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Unless I end up hating The Spear Cuts Through Water . . . 😜

[@TheCrazyCanuck420]

Berserk is very good.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m looking forward to giving it a try!

[@tadghohalloran9821]

AAVE oops wrong channel

[@queenofastora]

Philip, I would love to hear your thoughts about Dandadan. It's a manga about a nerdish boy who believes in ghosts, and a girl who believes in aliens, and all the strange creatures they encounter

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the recommendation! Always appreciated!

[@omarua3435]

Philip reading Berserk is a bad idea. I dont think Philip can slog through the shitty black swordsman arc to get to the good parts..... impossible!!! He has a chance if skips straight to golden age arc

[@Omegateck16]

That's an L take sorry. There's an entire point to that arc that you must've missed. Never skip arcs.

[@omarua3435]

@Omegateck16 it's not good though..... don't think Philip can slog through it

[@felice2441]

​@@omarua3435 Its just the first 2-3 volumes, plus its really easy to read since it doesn't have much dialogue compared to other series that he has read. It is definitely worth it

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I'll consider myself forewarned! Cheers!

[@certbozo]

Berserk!!!!

[@certbozo]

Berserk!!!!