EVERYTHING I Read in March 2024!! 

I wish you were narrating the audiobook I'm reading now. You're a compelling orator! Killer reading month you had!! I'm so envious you can just be at the desk, talk, and have a great show! 5 Star Video, Would Recommend.

I discovered your channel through this video. I hadn’t heard of a single book that you discussed, but I added several to my wishlist. Happy Reading! 😎📚👍

Are we rolling? Christopher Roucchio can write his grocery list on a napkin and I’ll read it. Also, can we get a Minton family tattoo tour?

I know I've said it before, but you're a joy to watch my friend! Thanks to you and Jakob for the content. 👍

Stacked! I’m very much anticipating a special ride with Sun Eater 🤘🏽

Finished Hyperion this month and my word... The Scholar's Tale made me hard cry. As a dad the tears just flowed!

Yes! Five Warrior Angels! Brian Lee Durfee's series is so underrated. I recommended What Moves the Dead for Andrew's Halloween collab video. I still need to read What Feasts at Night though. -Cheers!

My favorite book this month is so incredibly difficult because I had some phenomenal reads in Suneater books 4-5, Malazan book 1, and the first 6 books of Throne of Glass. I think my book of the month though has to go to Kingdoms of Death- even though I think every book I read was phenomenal or pretty good setup at worst. Kingdoms of Death is the first piece of Media to make me cry, it’s earned my book of the month.

Thank you so so much for the shout John 😘 your eloquent vocabulary always has me reeling. On our chat you gave me a lot to think about with T Kingfisher and I enjoyed your take on Alex Easton as to how you saw them. I believe I was infatuated with the mycology and on further retrospect I too agree that the way Kingfisher adapts her narrative to contain so much detail in such a small page count, is outstanding. WE MISS YOU DURFEE COME HOME SAFE! I need to get David Liss, I love me some weird, Dickensian vibes. We picked up our first manga on Monday we went for Monster so we’re (meaning me and josalann) reading and reviewing that soon 😁 Great content as always guys 😍 Aww Jakob you’re too cute hahaha, I get a weird lil shiver from pressing the subscribe button… try it friends!

Put the David Liss book on the TBR, sounds crazy. I got bogged down and haven't been able to continue with Five Warrior Angels but very excited to do so. Howling Dark is absolutely NUTS man. I go back and forth between it and DiW as my favorite. See you at Dragonsteel!

Loved hearing your thoughts on Howling Dark. It's one of my favorite reads. I'm excited to do a reread of the series soon. Sounds like you had an amazing month of reading.

I love the way you get him all riled up into an argument then immediately cut him off when he starts😂😂😂 I'm so glad I'm part of the last generation that didn't have safe spaces or participation trophies because these gen Z are absolute cry babies😂

Loved this wrap up and you have me so pumped to read Five Warrior Angels with hearing how he left it all out there on the field. I’m with you in thinking Ruocchio is a profound genius of our age and should be part of our human legacy-the fact that he wrote Howling Dark in his early 20s is beyond mind blowing to me

A nice stack of great books! Happy you had so much fun reading those, I need to read them all too now 😅 My best book in march was East of Eden. Started that one in november, so it may not count completely, but this was the only 5 star book i had last month.

Really loved the sci-fi horror aspect of Howling Dark. I was almost siding with the holy chantry after seeing those cyborg abominations

I haven't checked out Ruocchio yet, but that paragraph, damn! This is now on my TBR for sure 😂

What a spectacular month for you! I am so eager to read the Five Warrior Angels series someday myself, it sounds fantastic. And Sun Eater is equally high on the priority list. Also, you should be an audiobook narrator, what a performance! My favourite reads of March were Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson, The Storm Beneath the World by Michael R. Fletcher, Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver and The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandana. A very great month overall, cheers!

Matt from Beard Of Darkness, myself and some others have a planned buddy read for Sledge vs The Labyrinth in May. Looking forward to it even more now after hearing you talk about it. Agree 100% on Ruocchio. It’s insane how great he is at his age. I’ve never read Manga, but hope to make Vinland saga my first at some point. Heard nothing but great things. Loved your glass clink analogy LOL. Have to use that one. What an insanely good reading month.

I’ve been in a reading slump but you make me want to get back at it!

References in «Howling Dark» (2/3): Hadrian’s possible ancestor Prince Faustinus: Christopher Marlowe wrote the play «Dr. Faustus», where the Devil (the Marlowe sigil) tempts Doctor Faust Lady Harfleur: Harfleur is a city in Normandie, France, famous for it’s seige during the Hundred Years War by English King Henry V, which not only was the first English use of gunpowder artillery during a siege, but also became immortalized in Shakespeare’s play «Henry V» when the King rally his men with the line: «Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more»! Domitia: Female variant of Domitian (Roman Emperor) The Golem (Robot) Yume: Yume is Japanese for «Dream», and is the Japanese title of Akira Kurasawa’s movie «Dreams» (maybe also a reference to the story «Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep» by Philip K Dick, which was the basis for the movie «Blade Runner») Golem: Jewish Mythology, a clay men serving a Rabbi to protect the Ghetto Historian Impatian: Of Latin «Impatiens» («Impatient») and also the name of the Impatiens flower, also known as «touch-me-not» in North America. Playwright Bastien: Inspired by the Roman Comedy writer Terence? Panormo: Panormo(s) is a village on Crete Merenhor: Possible 8th Dynasty Pharaoh (only mentioned in one source) Anunna: Also known as the Anunnaki, pantheon of Ancient Mestopamian Deities, often espoused by Pseudo-Archaeologists as proof of Ancient Astronauts/Ancient Aliens! The Statue at Kharn Sagara’s Table: Jesus and Mother Mary! «Sat gray-hair'd Saturn, quiet as a stone»: John Keats’ poem «Hyperion» Dis: Dis Pater, another name of/conflation with Pluto, the Roman God of the Underworld Kharn calling out Hadrian that in Dante’s «Inferno», the 9th circle is frozen! Anaxander: Greek, «King/Ruler of men», Spartan King, Great-Great-Grandfather of the famous King Leonidas Cyrus the Golden: Cyrus Gold, aka Salomon Grundy from DC! The Pretender Boniface: Multiple saints and popes (interestingly also an antipope!), as well as a leader of the 4th Crusade Sunless Sea, Gardens and Domes: Xanadu in the poem «Kubla Khan» by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Eternal Youth: Shangri-La in «Lost Horizon» by James Hilton «Thatched Cottages at Cordeville»: Van Gogh painting! Hadrian compare Naia to the brides of Dracula! Holographic clothes: «Blade Runner 2049» Consent Kharn! Former Emperor Victor Sebastos: Latin «The Victorious» & «The Venerable» Dual helix snake biting a man from a tree: Garden of Eden , St. Paul biten by a snake on Malta (first accused being a criminal by the locals, and then declared a god surviving it) and DNA Twisted Horn: A Saxophone? Kharn as «The King-in-Yellow»: Story by Robert Chambers, later part of the Lovecraftian Cthulhu Mythos as the Great Old One Hestur «Sibylla ti theleis»: From the Epigraph of T.S. Elliot’s Poem «The Waste Land» (which has a loosely narrative deal with death and rejuvenation, faith and post-war depression, with multiple allusions and references to Ancient Literature, Religious Texts and Arthurian Myth), lifted from Petronius’ «Satyricon», being spoken to in Greek «Sibyl, what do you want?» (The Sibyl being a Roman Oracle, this one being specifically the Cumaean Sibyl who in «The Aeneid» had guided the Trojan Hero and Roman Ancestor Aeneas through Hades and who had been granted immortality (though without eternal youth) by the god Apollo), to which she replies «apothanein thelo»: «I want to die» Sword of Mars: The legendary weapon of Attila the Hun, worshiped by the Huns (and given Ruocchio is a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs, also likely a nod to his «John Carter of Mars»/«Barsoom» Novel «Swords of Mars»), here mixed with King Arthurs’s Sword in the Stone/Excalibur Gibson: The Force Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi appearing to Luke Skywalker Titania and Oberon: Queen and King of the Faerie in Shakespeare’s «A Midsummer Night’s Dream» «London Bridge is Falling Down»! Father Calvert: Possible reference to the English Calvert Noble Family with the title Lord Baltimore (of which the US State has it name from) or the Calvert Half-Brothers in Peter F. Hamilton’s «The Night’s Dawn» Trilogy Child of Clay: In Jewish Mythology, Adam was made out of clay «You are a lever pulled your genes. Nothing More.»: Genetic Determinism «I think, therefore I am»: Descartes’ «Cogito, ergo sum», a Classic Quote/Principle of Continental Rationalist Philosophy and Western Philosophy in general, also quoted by AM, the villainous and sadistic AI/Sentient Master Computer from Harlan Ellison’s «I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream» AI using Humans as bio-electricity: «The Matrix» Brethren as a form of «Grey Goo»: Out of control self-replicating machines «Bound by laws Isaac Asimov would have approved of»: Asimov’s three laws of Robotics (The First Law: A robot may not injure a human being (through action or inaction), The Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings (as long as it does not conflict with the first law) & The Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence (as long as it does not conflict with the first or second law) A man «like Pallino» hanging from a Tree: In Norse Myth Odin gave one of his eyes and hanged from a Tree to gain Wisdom Zeno: Ancient Greek Philosopher, founder of Stoicism Hypatia: Female Neoplatonist Philosopher, often cited as a Martyr of Science and Feminisim Lovelace: Ada Lovelace, daughter of the Poet Lord Byron, known for recognizing the potential beyond simple calculations of Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a proposed mechanical computer (also a character in William Gibson and Bruce Sterling’s Steampunk/Alt. History Novel «The Difference Engine») Peterson: Jordan Peterson The «Other Gibson»: William Gibson? («Neuromancer») The Deep: The Deep Ones from Lovecraft’s Chtulhu Mythos

So pleased you enjoyed T. Kingfisher. I’ve read nearly all her titles. She does switch genres but you always get her compelling writing style. I do want to try The Sun Eater series but it will have to wait for next year, I reckon 🤣 Have a great month.

Continually impressed at how much you can consume and retain in a month ! Great video

I actually really enjoyed Nettle and Bone and looking forward to hearing your thoughts

we need more mood lighting

Great month for you John! You had me laughing so hard when you said “If I was to pick some nits.” 😂

Good ol' Angry Orchard! I like their Granny Smith hard apple cider. I "only" read three books in March--one of which was a re-read--but even if I had read twenty books in the month, I would have adored Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake and Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky as much as I do now.

Priest of Lies had to have been my favourite read of March. Plowed through The War for the Rose Throne series in March, and... despised the ending, worst book I've read in ages. ): Absolutely no payoff and stakes. However, an awesome first three books! Fullmetal Alchemist might be a manga you might enjoy. It's only a little over 100 chapters overall.

References in «Howling Dark» (3/3): Athenaeum: A higher education instutution in Ancient Rome, especially focused on philosophy and rhetoric, founded by Emperor Hadrian Hadrian comparing himself to Orpheus of Greek Myth, the Poet-Prophet who upon his wife’s death was allowed into Hades due to his sorrow and bring his late wife back with him, so long he did not look backwards «Lucifer and Prometheus are the same»: Comparing the Fallen Angel Lucifer/Satan’s rebellion against God in John Milton’s «Paradise Lost» with the Titan Prometheus’ rebellion against the Greek Gods, by stealing fire from them and giving it to humankind (and in some sources, such as Ovid, even creating humankind, which is referenced in Mary Shelley’s subtitle «The Modern Prometheus» to her Gothic novel «Frankenstein») Valka having a «Minervan Face»: Minerva was Roman Goddess of Wisdom, Strategy and Victory equated with the Greek Goddess Athena Kharn declaring «You call this Empire. You make a Desert and call it Peace!»: Same accusation levied against the Romans by the Caledonian Chieftain Calgacus in Tacitus’ «Agricola» The Imperal Ship «Schiavona»: Italian variant of a basket-hilted sword The Empire that conqured most of «Mythic Asia» that Hadrian couldn’t remember: The Mongol Empire The Spaceship «Demiurge»: Greek «artist»/«creator», term used by Platonists for the creator and maintainer of the physical world (usually not a monotheistic deity, with itself having an origin in the higher spiritual world of forms), later adopted by Gnostics as a Luciferian «Anti-god», chaining eternal pure spirits into ephemeral physical beings The Spaceship «Obdurate»: Latin «hardened», today more meaning «stubbornly persistent» (name of two destroyers in Royal Navy: One participated in the WW1 Battle of Jutland, the other in the WW2 Atlantic Convoys) The Third Treason: St. Peter’s three denials? Cornicen: A hornblower who gave salutes and orders in the Roman Legion The Chalcenterite School: I first thought of it perhaps being derived from «chalce» (Greek: «copper») or «Chalcedon» (Ancient City in Modern Day Turkey, known for a early Church Council where the doctrine of the Trinity was solidified: Virtually all major Christian Denominations today (with Unitarians as the only major exception I can think of on the spot) can be considered «Chalcedonian» in their theology), but it being a corruption of «Call Center» (), not only seems to me to be a pun fitting in the Tradition of Gene Wolfe (and Robert Jordan!), but Ruocchio’s emphasis on the school’s focus on «Self-Reflection» and «Asceticism», to me only hammers in the pun, as I can think of few other places known for serious self-reflection (of your life choices) and limited amenities, as call centers! Chiliarch: Not a Commander of chilli-wagons (), but a Macedonian/Hellenistic period Greek Army Rank of a Commander of a thousand soldiers (akin to a Roman Military Tribute) Solifer: Latin «Sun Bringer»/«Bringer of Sunshine», fitting name for a Sollan Empire Bannerman! Raine Smythe described as a «pillar of salt» during the atomics attack: Lot’s Wife was turned to a pillar of salt, when looking back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah while fleeing from it. The Nahute: Mechanical versions of the Alien Snakes from the «Alien» prequel movie «Prometheus»? The Phoenix of Perfugium: Latin «Refuge»/«shelter», name of a far future Earth Colony inspired by Edwardian Britain in the Mystery TV series «Doctor Who» Leviathan & Behemoth: Jewish mythological creatures found in the Old Testament, a gigantic sea worm/creature defeated by God (tied to the concept of «Khaoskampf», «the battle against chaos» found in multiple cultures: A sky/storm god defeating a worm/dragon representing chaos, creating/restoring order/balance) and a giant bull The Mericanii Weapon «Kenotikon»: Greek «empty act»? The Mericanii Weapon «Bleteira»: Greek «blue companion»? The Mericanii Weapon «Crymainecca»: Greek «Freezing Substance»? The Mericanii Weapon «Astrophage»: Greek «star eater» (may come in handy later in a series called the «Sun Eater»!) Bassander: Greek «(He who) Step(s on) man»? Lin: Mandarin «Forest», «Sun Goddess» or «Gemstone» The Centurion Mozgus: Lord/Father Inquisitor Mozgus from the Manga «Berserk» … «Cowards and faint-hearted runaways
Look for orations when the foe is near:
Our swords shall play the orators for us.» - Techelles in Act 1 Scene 2 of «Tamburlaine the Great Part 1» by Christopher Marlowe I am really curious to know if Ruocchio is a fan of the anime «Legend of the Galactic Heroes», as Hadrian and Bassander reminded me of a Mirror World version of the rivalry between Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen-li, pluss the Legionnaires reminds me as much of the «Rosenritters» of «LOGH» as Roman-style Stormtroppers from «Star Wars» Hauptmann: German «Army Captain» plus a character in «LOGH» Fallen comrades as sandbags callback… An arm with a sword coming out of water: A very Arthurian image! The Starship «Sieglinde»: Mother of the Germanic Hero Siegfried in the Medieval Epic Poem the «Nibelunglied» and Richard Wagner’s «Ring Cycle»/«Nibelungen» Opera Cycle (also the name of a «Dark Souls» character) Megathere: Giant Sloth! Orodes: Orodes II was Emperor of Parthia during the battle of Carrhae Musashi: Japanse «Kensai» «Sword Saint», made famous from a quasi-fictious series of books (which inspired the Manga «Vagabond») «spectre at the feast»: The Ghost of Banquo in Shakespeare’s «Macbeth»

You make those T. Kingfisher novels sound very wild. They keep cropping up . . . I'll take your recommendation and start with these. That excerpt you read from Howling Dark is nuts. Sun Eater's mid to low priority on my TBR, but now you have me reconsidering. You're right, that might be one of the best descriptions of an 'other' I've ever heard. For manga, has anyone mentioned Death Note as yet? Completed and has the benefit of not being 1100+ chapters like One Piece is. I think it'd be right up your alley.

T Kingfisher is great. And I remember Pawn of Prophecy being a horrible book club discussion because everyone liked it :D Hard to get a good conversation going with no dissenting views :D

If you loved Howling Dark, you’ll love Demon in White!

“No one is surprised” 😂😂😂

T. Kingfisher is HIGH on my list of new-to-me authors to check out. I've got all of her books and several other books you mentioned on my holds list at my library. LOVE the quote you read from "Howling Dark", John! You've convinced me to check out the Sun Eater series if I can get ahold of it. You've also convinced me to read Eddings' Belgariad series.

With the exception of finishing Ken Liu's Veiled Throne, March was dominated by re-reads for me 😅 I enjoyed Daniel Abraham's Age of Ash more on re-read but i still don't love it so I'm probably going to set the series aside until we've a release date for Book 3. So I'm probably going to jump into Dagger & Coin sooner rather than later. But the best was re-reading R Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing trilogy and the Judging Eye, the first book of Aspect-Emperor. The series is so raw, uncompromising, bleak but poetic and tragic as well as action packed, politically and philosophically intriguing with layered, complex and engaging characters caught in the waves of a Holy War sweeping across the land while an ancient half-forgotten evil has begun to rear its ugly head as a potential messiah steps into the ring. And Judging Eye, what happens after... I wholeheartedly stand by that this is if Frank Herbert wrote A Song of Ice & Fire instead of Dune and Aspect-Emperor, if Cormac McCarthy wrote LotR instead of Blood Meridian! Bakker's examination of faith, certainty and religion and how it abuses and can be abused is one of the finest I've come across. While i do ultimately think the series is cynical of religion, its not unsympathetic to believers. Sorry I'm rambling 😅

If we ever meet in person we shall have to share a cider! 🍎🍺

My book of the month for March was All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. Was very surprised by that. McCarthy has written some of my least favorite books and now one of my favorites. Also, its outside of fantasy and Sci-fi which is what I mostly read. Speaking of favorites Berserk is my favorite manga. It is truly something special. Vinland Saga is also good but in my opinion does not hold a candle to Berserk.

Here are all the references I caught in «Howling Dark» (1/3) Vorgossos: Tartaros (the Abyss serving as prison for the Titans in Ancient Greek Myth), Tartessos (a «lost» Iron Age Civilization in South Western Spain, by some tied to the Myth of Atlantis, being beyond the «Pillars of Hercules»/The Gibraltar Strait), the Atlantic Sargasso Sea (famous for its seaweed) and the «Vorkosigan Saga» Sci-Fi Series by Lois McMaster Bujold Admiral Marius Whent: House Whent of Harrenhal from George RR Martin’s «A Song of Ice & Fire», Catelyn Stark’s Mother was a Whent The Planet of Pharos: The Lighthouse of Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt. One of the Seven Wonders of Antiquity. The Space Destroyer «Balmung»: The name given to the Sword of Sigurd/Siegfried the Dragonslayer in the Medieval German Epic Poem «Die Nibelungenlied», «Gram(r)» in Norse Sagas and «Nothung» in Wagner’s «Der Ring des Nibelungen»/«Ring Cycle» The Space Interceptor «Mistral»: Famous Wind in Southern France, giving name to several cars, aircraft and ships, including a class of French Amphibious Assault Ship/Helicopter Carriers The Planet of Trieste: Italian City on the Adriatic Coast Soisson: French City, Capital of the Post-Roman Kingdom of Soisson before conquered by the Franks Prisca: Roman Empress, wife of Diocletian Durand: Surname of Multiple French, British, American and Canadian Politicians, Scholars and Artists, as well as the Durand Line (the international recognized border between Afghanistan and Pakistan) Corvo: Italian «Crow» Shara: Mesopotamian God of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Irrigation & Divine Warrior, and a Nation in Robert Jordan’s «Wheel of Time» Fantasy Series Eidhin: Aidhne, a Irish Petty Kingdom, in myth settled by the legendary Fir Bolg Bordelon: Surname, including a French Utopian polygraph Playwright and Abbot, an American Korean War Flying Ace and an US Marine awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor during the Pacific Campaign The Painted Man: Novel by Peter V. Brett (The Mule from Isaac Asmiov’s «Foundation»? The Finn from «Neuromancer»? The Joker?) Andernach: German City along the Rhine River, founded by the Romans and site of the Archepiscopal Castle of the Archbishop/Electorate of Cologne during the Holy Roman Empire Aptuca: Archaeological Site of an Roman City in Modern Day Tunisia, with a titular Catholic Bishopric from Antiquity to this very day Ardistama: Ancient City in Cappadocia (Modern Day Turkey) inhabited by the Hittites, the Hellenistic Greeks, the Romans and the Byzantines Athyras: Greek Colony in Ancient Thrace (today near the European side of Istanbul, Turkey), a titular Catholic and Orthodox Bishopric Bannatia: One of the Settlements of the Pictish Tribe Vacomagi in Modern Day Scotland mentioned by the Geographer Ptolemy Coritani: Britonic Celtic Tribe before the Roman Conquest, located in the Midlands, with Modern Day Leicester as their Capital Epidamnos: Greek Colony in Illyrium (Modern Day Durres in Albania). Their governmental structure is mentioned in Aristotle’s «Politics» and their internal political strife between Oligarchs and Democrats served as an ignition for the Peloponnesian War, between Sparta and Athens and their respective allies. Later renamed Dyrrhachium by the Romans and was the site of a battle between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great Gibeah: Several settlements in the Old Testament, including the first capital of a Unified Israel under King Saul Kremnoi: Greek colony on the Black Sea Coast (Modern Day Taganrog, Russia, famous from many of the works by Anton Chekhov) Lycia: Ancient Region of Anatolia in Modern Day Turkey Milinda: Milinda Panha/Milindapanha, Ancient Indian Buddhist Text, written as a dialogue between the Buddhist Sage Nagasena and the Indo-Greek King Menander I Soter the Great of Bactria («Milinda» in Pali), who converted and became a great patron to Buddhism Nessus: Centaur in Greek Mythology Rostam: Persian/Iranian Mythical Hero, famous from the Persian Epic «Shahnameh» Sarmatia: The Sarmatians, Iranian-languaged Nomadic Equestrian Confederation related to the Scythians on the Pontic Steppe, who fought the Romans numerous times, famous for their Armored Cataphract Cavalry which later served as Roman Foederati Soldiers Senussa: Senussi, a Sufi Order and Clan in Libya, claimant Kings of Libya Ubar: Mythical Kingdom in Southern Arabia («Atlantis of the Sands»), sometimes tied to «Iram/Irem of the Pillars» famous from «1001 Nights» and HP Lovecraft’s «Call of Cthulhu» & «The Nameless City» Tyras: Archeological Site of an Ancient Greek colony on the Black Sea Coast, near Modern Day Odessa, Ukraine Tanais: Archeological Site of an Ancient Greek colony on the Black Sea Coast, in the Don River Delta of Modern Day Russia. The Refugee Camp/City of Arslan: Persian, «Brave»/«Lion-Hunter»/«Gladiator» The Downed Space Carrier «Murakami»: Japanese «Village Superior», the name of an ancient Clan and Fiefdom, as well as of an 10th Century Emperor during the Heian Period and the famous modern writer Haruki Murakami Suren, the Destroyed Capital of Rostram: The Parthian Noble House of Suren, which including the General Surena who defeated and executed the Roman Statesman Crassus (once the richest man in Rome, who had defeated the Slave Rebellion led by Spartacus, and been part of the First Triumvirate together with Ceasar and Pompey the Great) at the Battle of Carrhae Stygian Ropes: Stygia, «Evil Egyptian Wizard Land» in Conan the Cimmerian Orestes: Son of King Agamemnon and Clytemnestra of the Iliad, whose murder of his Mother (for murdering his Father) and trial was the subject of multiple Ancient Greek Poems and Plays Tristan: Arthurian Knight of the Round Table, famous for his tragic romance with the Princess Isolde Ram: Rama, avatar of Vishnu and hero of the Indian Epic «Ramayana», Arthur C. Clarke’s «Rendezvous with Rama» and a character in the Sci Fi movie «Tron» Idun: Norse Goddess, Guardian of the Apples of Eternal Youthfulness Kingu & Marduk: Mesopotamian Gods Panopticon: Prison design by the Utilitarian philosopher Jeremey Bentham, allowing one guard to watch over all prisoners at all times Catwalk sword-fights and cut hands: Humming the Imperial Theme here! March Station: «Ringworld» by Larry Niven and the «Halo» Video Games! Lothrian Cyrillic! Name: The Ides of March? Therevada bhikkhu: Buddhist munk (Theravada is the oldest and strictest interpretation of the main branches of Buddhism) Holographic Geisha: «Blade Runner» and «Ghost in the Shell»! The Raven Hrothgar: King Hrothgar of Denmark built Heorot Hall that is plagued by attacks by Grendel in «Beowulf», and the raven is a symbol of Odin in Norse Myth Hellenic Pharaoh: The Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt, and Percey Shelley’s «Ozimandias»(Ozimandias is the Greek name of Ramses) Ossulum Vaccine: «Osculum infame» «kiss of shame», alledged witch ritual involving the witch kissing the Devil’s…«end»… The Spaceship «Enigma of the Hours»: «The Enigma of the Hour», Italian early 20th Century Painting by metaphysical painter Giorgio de Chirico The Old Florentine & Lions, Leopards & Wolves: Dante, «The Divine Comedy» Artifical Owl: «Blade Runner» Nuncius: Latin «Messenger», «Sidereus Nuncius» («Starry/Sidereal Message/Messenger») was Galileo Galilei’s first treatise on his celestial observations using a telescope Jayavarman: Multiple Khmer Kings, including Jayavarman VII, who converted to Buddhism and invested heavily in infrastructure and welfare for his people The hightower: The Hightower(s) of Oldtown in «A Song of Ice & Fire»?

Lonesome Crown spoilers: Yes, Gault was like Danni in season 8 in GOT? Huh? My hero of the story… what happened to you, when did you get so selfish!! Also Spiderwood’s end did not do him right. If Ava Shae ended up have some magic power that she would utterly destroy these two characters but she really was no one special.😜 And all the characters kept going back and forth , back and forth & back and forth across Gulcana. Book 2 was the best out of the 3. I did love Enna Spades character arc and Liz Hen! And Beermug was the biggest Marysue since Jimmy the hand. I do not usually root for the dog to be dead already but after the 5th time….

I soo wish I could attend Dragonsteel. Oh well maybe another year hopefully. Just need to drag somebody with my over the Atlantic ocean (does the person have to come willingly though I wonder xD).

How do you read so many so fast?

Are the T Kingfisher novellas tackling gender dysphoria? I’m only asking because while I am interested in those two books, I cannot read a book that tackles that particular subject (they make me beyond uncomfortable since I have a bad history with people like that and I know it shouldn’t affect me but it does).

I find it so satisfying when readers love The Sun Eater series as much as I do...lol. It's just.....🤌🏻....take all my money.

Can't wait for Dragonsteel! Love how hyped you get about books can't wait to read some of the books you mentioned. 📖

Another great video uncle, I hope all has been going well on your end. I agree that James Tynion IV has really grown into one of the best writers of his generation. Indeed, Garth Ennis is the man, and try Monster from Naoki Urasawa. I think you'll dig that one. I'm going to be posting my March wrap up this Friday, so I won't spoil here. But thank you for the shoutout! Looking forward to putting up the episode *checks watch* oh crap, that's today! April will be fun, I hope to start Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell soon, as well as my good chum Joe Berne's Wistful Ascending. I may also sneak some comics in there since I haven't been reading a lot of them lately. I don't have a particular list of books to read this month, so I'm kind of going where the wind takes me at the moment. I may finally try Head Lopper. It's an exciting month, full of possibility. Keep it up!

Hearing you gush about Howling Dark has me SO excited, I just opened it up last night and I absolutely can't wait to read it!! I will say, as someone who has also tried One Piece recently and had a similar reaction to the early volumes, it isn't my favorite thing ever, but it does seem to continuously be getting better (I'm currently ~150 chapters in) and from what I'm told, that linear increase in depth and quality just keeps going on across the entire series. We shall see!

Loved your videos as always. So as you already know, there are over 1000 chapters of one piece (1111 released recently) and I just can't tell you how happy I am to see more and more people getting into One piece. One piece till 100 chapters is good but after that it is a beast in its own right. Its so amazingly and delicately crafted that every single island feels like a different world with its own history, culture, conflicts, etc. And there are more than a thousand named characters including around a 100 really important characters but all of them feels so real with their motives, the way they behave, in almost a way that you kinda get know them as if they were a real person. It seems goofy at times but it will make you bawl your eyes over the most unexpected things that you can't even imagine (its a spoiler or else I would have named it), it explores themes of humanity, morality, family, love, compassion but also the dark side like slavery, apartheid, massacres, mass-cleansing, power-abuse, Grape (without a G), and much much more. And also, if you are reading the manga then just know that anything that oda draws in the manga is there for a reason, if it doesn't seem relevant know it will play a huge role some 200-300 chapters later. Every little detail is well-crafted and meticulously placed there for a reason. It is one of the greatest story ever told and it is revered as such for a reason, and wish you'll continue it. I hope I didn't bore you with my comment and lots of love. PS: If you wanna experience a glimpse of that extraordinary world, then search for "The breathtaking world of one piece" on youtube, you'll just realise how amazing the story is.

I love what you said about Belgariad, it summed up my feelings exactly. I read it decades ago, fell in love with fantasy, and never stopped loving it. I reread Belgariad every few years, just for the nostalgia.