December 2023 TBR + 2024 Plans! 

Updated intro is awesome imo

Note to self: Title next book The Blood of Edan, stick a legion of Roman soldiers in the story, and put a top hat on the protagonist. 😁

"See you after the jump" had me laughing out loud in my car to the point I almost rear-ended someone. That just hit the right spot comedically for me this morning.

Love finding new booktubers, I hope you end up loving this community!

As a father of a nearly three year old, i can confirm, that you will have a lot more reading time initially. I trained myself to read after his bedtime, so I get at least an hour reading a day in. A good friend told me once: 'Children do not do what they are told to, they mimic what they see from you.' So at weekends, when he plays for himself a bit in the living room, my wife and I make sure to never have a phone or computer in front of him, only books. The endresult: With nearly three years old, he LOVES to look at his books and the best thing is, when daddy reads his books to him before bedtime. Reading has become a mainstay in our family now. I am proud of that.

Looool Allen. Blue Flames is longer than Spider Key 😂😂. Also thanks for the shoutout! 🥰

House of Wounds can't come fast enough! The Blood Stones is high on my TBR as well, and now I've put The Wickwire Watch on the TBR as well. I agree with your rant about fantasy books new normal page count climbing too high! I love a concise but effective fantasy book

"I can tell Parker's style in a blind taste test" sounds like the premise of a challenge video 😜

Yay, my favourite Booktuber is back! And for me, it is the first time you went away for a bit... :-) Like the new intro and the camera angle.

Last year was the year of the short book. We read Shogun at the beginning of this year. 😛

Always happy to see a video from you, no matter how often! I CANNOT WAIT for Crucible of Chaos! But I'm miffed that your Greatcoats re-read-along is happening next year when I'm already halfway into my re-read now 😂Rude. I'll just have to follow along for the chat anyway.

Wow I completed forgot to comment on that video when I watched it a month ago, so had to rewatch it (gladly) and... first of all, congrats for the baby! I'm so happy for you guys! I've joined Jimmy's Patreon because of his random Patreon picks, and now I'm tempted to join yours for the same reason. I would love to have a better idea of what you're actually planning to read each month (though I understand it's not always possible to actually commit to them), especially historical fiction as I've been in a kick every since reading the Cicero trilogy, Augustus, and the Warlord Chronicles. I'm wishing you all the best for this new year! ❤️

Congratulations on the baby!

every time i watch your videos i am reminded that i have yet to read kj parker 😅 OOH NEW CHALLENGE IDEA christina reads a random passage of prose in a book, and you have to guess who wrote it 🤣 TCHAIKOVSKYYYYYYYYY 🎉🎉🎉 yesssss i got crucible of chaos!!!! GREATCOATS FOREVER the justice of kings series will have flintlock?! SAY NO MORE having that mental barrier stopping you from and dreading doing things that are literally so easy is so relatable 😭 OOOOH I'LL REREAD GREATCOATS. AND I NEED TO FINALLY READ LPQ

No matter how (in)frequently you upload, your videos always bring me endless amounts of joy!! Sounds like you are gearing up for an amazing end of the year & 2024. Good on you for being nicer to yourself and just reading whatever is calling out to you. I am allll here for the re-reads, binge reads and mood reads! I might join you for Greatcoats when that happens, exciting!! And I can't wait for you to read The Spider Key and The Blood Stones, both are incredible 🤩

As a fellow educator I have seen myself fall into the same reading slump lately. For some reason this school year is taking a lot more out of me than normal and I'm Im not getting nearly as much read. When I have been able to read though I have devoured the books.

I just got Sebastian de Castel’s newest book the malevolent seven it sounds like a ripping yarn from the synopsis

Are you going to be reading the will of the many by James Islington? Because that is supposed to be a Roman inspired fantasy politics and all.

I really need to read The Justice of Kings. The Wickwire Watch is on my plans for 2024. Enjoy your reading in December!

Swan is doing a follow up series?? That's so awesome!! I really hope you're able to get him on for another discussion, the first one was fantastic! I will say, my reading definitely tanked the years I had newborns, but I also didn't use audiobooks at the time... For all you know, your reading will skyrocket then! I'm glad you're setting your expectations reasonably, though. You never know how things will go til you're in the thick of it, lol. 🤪

The shift to the living room sounds like a great one, and speaking of great things, I think I’m gonna jump on that Greatcoats readalong since I’ve been eager to try that series for so long!

“None of this takes as much time as my brain tricks me into thinking it does.” Yup. That’s definitely me this year trying (and failing) to make videos in any sort of a consistent pace.

Oohhh! Im looking forward to reading the Tchaikovsky! Also, definitely put out more videos. Your voice seems to soothe my cranky, teething 7 month old. 😂 2024 I will finally begin reading The Greatcoats series. Excited to finally be getting to it.

The new intro is so gothic and leaning inducingi love it!! The return of THE KING!!!

Thanks Allen! Produce as much content as you have time & energy for, no pressure! Hope December is a great reading month!

I'm always happy to watch your videos, no matter how frequently you decide to put them out. I have the Wickwire Watch book on my tbr for 2024. I also plan on finally reading Dagger and Coin. I love Daniel Abraham books. I finished the Expanse this year and it was so freakin good.

My December TBR : «Brother Red» by Adrian Selby (Fantasy Standalone Prequel to «Snakewood», about a trading company akin to the East India Company) «After Rome» by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fiction set in Post-Roman Britain) «The River of Stars» by Guy Gavriel Kay (Fantasy inspired by the Song Dynasty China, Standalone Sequel to «Under Heaven», my favorite read of this year so far!) «Bold Ascension» by Vaughn Roycroft (sequel to «Severing Son», Fantasy inspired by the Migration Age Goths) My December MBR : «Alv Erlingsson» by Tore Skeie (Historical Fiction about a Norwegian 13th Century Jarl who became a Privateer and Rebel) «Judas Blossom» by Stephen Aryan (Fantasy inspired by the Mongol Conquest of Persia) For January 2024 I plan to start with : «Stonehenge» by Bernard Cornwell (Historical Fiction about the Creation of Stonehenge during the Neolithic Period) «Imperium» by Robert Harris (Historical Fiction about the Roman Politician Cicero) «Når Landet Mørknar» (approx.: «When the Land Darkens») by Tore Kvæven (Historical Fiction set during the 13th Century Norse Settlement of Greenland, winner of the Norwegian Brage Prize for Best Norwegian Novel in 2018) Further on my 2024 TBR I have: «The Dragon Lord» by David Drake (Arthurian S&S) «Last Light of the Sun» by Guy Gavriel Kay (Fantasy inspired by the Vikings & King Alfred the Good) «Ash: A Secret History» by Mary Gentle (Alt-History inspired by 15th Century Mercenaries and the Hundred Years War) The «Lyonesse» Trilogy by Jack Vance (Arthurian Fantasy) «Egil Skallagrimsson» by Halvor Tjønn (Historical Fiction about the (in-)famous 10th Century Icelandic Viking & Skald who became a Bloodsworn Enemy of the Norwegian Viking King Eirik Bloodaxe), The «City of Victory» Trilogy by Adrian Goldsworthy (Historical Fiction set during the time of Roman Emperor Trajan, a continuation of Goldsworthy’s «Vindolandia» Trilogy) «For Lord and Land» by Matthew Harffy (in the «Bernicia Chronicles» series, Historical Fiction set in 7th Century Anglo-Saxon Britain) «Augustus» by John Williams (Epistolary Historical Fiction about the Eponymous Roman Emperor) Also hope to get to : «Dreaming the Eagle» by Manda Scott (Historical Fiction set during the Rebellion of Boudicca) «Alamut» by Vladimir Bartok (Historical Fiction about the Medieval Order of the Assassins) «The Long Ships» by Frans Bengtson (Classic Viking Adventure Story)

Allen! Great to see you back with some irregularly scheduled content 😂 I feel you on the tiredness upon returning home. Cheers, Carlos

I’m so there for all of those Feb releases.

Good to see another video Allen! Cheers to a good end to the reading year!

Awesome update, the plans for next year sound awesome, taking time to come up with routine and make life easier so you can focus on the baby and just making everything easier on you, is excellent. Wishing you all the best with it! Always happy to support however possible :)

Allen: I haven't read anything this year. Also Allen: I completed a bunch of series readalongs this year!😁🎉Congratulations on another year of reading, it's only normal for everyone's reading to change as the world has in recent years (mine has dropped off but still enjoying it consistently!), and I'm looking forward to whatever content you put out whenever! All the best to you and family for 2024✨📚 頑張って、無理しないでね！よいお年をお迎えください！🎍🎊

Best of luck Allen. I had a son April 2019, and only managed to restart my reading in 2022. The first 3 years are a mess of constant work. Sleep deprivation will also make sure you can´t read more than 10 pages wihout falling asleep. (Me and my wife are teachers so that does not help as you surely know)

I love the new intro!!!! Also I bought Wickwire Watch because of your review and I can’t wait to read it!!

One personal complaint with "The Riverfall Chronicles" is the Christian preaching. I suspected it in the first book and I can confirm it from the second. Also Ink's actions feel like they are there just to move the plot along. While "The Spider Key" ended on a huge clifhanger, I don't care to continue.

Bahaha I loved the Bookborn intro cover. Looking forward to your thoughts on The Spider Key. Book 3 is even longer... haha

Love the new intro!🔥 the music from Bookborn's channel was a great touch 😂

That opening was just the best and you should wear cowboy hats more often.

I haven't watched a book video in ages, but I needed this dose of Allen humor lol. For what it's worth, I didn't read anything at all this year until November, when I read 10 books. Must be something in the air.

Hey Allen, did you finish Beartown? I just started yesterday. Last time on Chatting with Nutts you were having some strong feelings :D

Good to see you back Allen. If you haven't seen The Holdovers movie......I think you might really like it.

Cicero trilogy was one of the highlights of the year. De Castell is one of the few authors I pre-order, particularly if it's Greatcoats related. Looking forward to it.

Congrats on your impending parenthood. Things will definitely change for you both, in a very good way. I'm surprised that Saevus Corax isn't on your radar. I'm on book two, Saevus Captures the Castle, and am really enjoying it.

But you forgot to mention how you promised me you were going to do deep-dive analysis videos for every chapter in Fourth Wing and Iron Flame...😢😢😢

Love the 2 intros 😂

I will absolutely have to join you and Anitha for a Greatcoats read! Congrats on the kid, you and Christina will be great parents 🤘🏽

Seems like you're excited for some of those arcs. Hopefully that will help you get back into the booktube side of things. Have a great rest of the year.

Allen you found the hat! Looking good.😀 I am starting Blackwing & Mort soon. Plan on Empire of the Wolf & the Baroque Cycle in 2024.

I've tried to start 7 or 8 different video games and end up just deciding I'm not in the mood for any of them in the first 2 minutes. I'm taking two weeks off in December, and one of the ones I'm considering is Trails in the Sky, but who knows what I'll end up settling on.

Ok I think I need to dive into 'The Justice of Kings" . Elsewhere you have not read R Scott Bakker's masterpiece series Prince of Nothing/Aspect Emperor yet have you? If not that should really go on the top of your TBR pile, I must confess that I say that to everyone hahaha.

Can’t wait to read The Escapement and House of Open Wounds!

House of Open Wounds and Court of Chaos come out within a few days of each other here, both this month 🤪

I might hop on the Greatcoats read. I liked the first one and kind of just wandered off instead of reading more

I really loved the Cicero trilogy and Shogun! I'm gonna retry Tai-pan in 2024. And I'm still waiting for the third book in the Risen Kingdom to drop on Libby or Hoopla.

Hi, glad to see you back!☺Do you know what's going on with the publishing date for The Empyreal Retinue by any chance? It seems to be postponed indefinitely...

Allen I wonder what your opinion is of Suetonius. I have a copy of The Twelve Caesars and figure it's a good way to dip into some details of those emperors, as someone with limited knowledge about some of these guys, and none about others. I have been given the impression that his little biographies are akin to Mushroom's reports in Fire and Blood, so do you know if this book is total nonsense, nonsense yet enjoyable and maybe hinting at truths, or actually informative. I'm gonna try it out soon regardless, just checking if you have an opinion.

Did you steal Bookborn's intro? 😂

Damn lookin kinda yolked in this video 💪

You forgot Abraham's last book for the current series... but that is July so... 2nd half of the year.

Dif you check out Under My Skin by K.J Parker? I think itnhas his best works

are you going to have a third interview with Richard swann around the Trial of Empire release?

once in 6 months is regular too. I don’t think you promised has “often” 😂

That’s a lot of re-reads 🧐 Under promise Allen UNDER promise

Toby Keith on the Honkytonk University album. Cant believe that useless piece of knowledge was useful today.

Ok because I have to : MASTERS OF ROME 😢

While you may not been posting a video in a while you have more than made up for it with hours of conversation on various channels or sprints. If that’s easier, consider doing that as it’s equally entertaining. Just my two cents. :-).