The World of the First Law - and Why Grimdark Deserves Your Attention!! The Book Guy 2026-09-22 | The World of the First Law - and Why Grimdark Deserves Your Attention!!
The Dandelion Dynasty is Advanced Fantasy! The Book Guy 2025-09-19 | Welcome back! Today we’re discussing the four books in the Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu. This is a pretty complex series! It one of the smartest, most detailed and intricate fantasy creations I’ve ever seen. The scope and scale of this story is staggering. It’s packed full of philosophy, historical parallels, scientific innovation, academia, and just a bunch of topics. It can also be quite tricky to read. It’s very detailed orientated and slow build. And it has dry academic writing style that feels like reading a history book. These are brilliant books that may not work for you. So I’ll pitch these books to you, spoiler free, and help you decide if you want to read them. Buy MY books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:30 The Concept03:03 A Unique Writing Style07:47 Worldbuilding12:21 Characters and Moral Alignments 15:55 Plotlines 1 (Vague, No Spoilers)20:04 Plotlines 2 (Specific, very small Spoilers)21:09 Themes25:59 Difficulties 29:31 The Strange Third Book32:36 Representation 34:56 Content Warning35:36 Is the Ending worth it?36:13 How much should you try?
The Handmaids Tale – Should You Read This BANNED Book? The Book Guy 2025-09-12 | The Handmaid’s Tale is one of the most frequently banned books in the world. So today, we’re going to talk about both the Handmaid’s Tale, and the Testaments. We’re going to see if they’re worth reading. Cause let’s face it. Most of us are vaguely familiar with the concept. But how many of us have actually read the books? Here's a thorough breakdown of the story, spoiler free. We'll look at all the historical references in this story, compare it to the TV show, and review the sequel, The Testaments. All in one big video!Buy MY books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:00 The Concept03:01 Speculative Fiction05:12 Characters and Plot are Secondary06:40 Writing Style08:30 Feminist Literature11:14 Religion in Gilead13:30 Historical References17:13 TV Show Comparison22:31 The Testaments24:00 Expanded Worldbuilding25:13 More Character and Story26:17 How do Authoritarian Regimes Fall?28:00 Content Warning28:42 Is the Ending worth it?29:16 How much should you try?
We Need to Talk About Sunrise on the Reaping The Book Guy 2025-09-05 | Welcome back! Today we need to talk about Sunrise on the Reaping, and acknowledge what a top-tier YA book this is. People aren't talking about this book enough! Haymitch's story is full of surprises. It's a valuable addition to the Hunger Games world, expanding on everything else, and telling an unique stand alone story. Buy MY books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro 01:48 The Concept02:23 Don't We Know This Story Already???03:30 Perfecting the Prequel05:43 Character Work07:45 Predictable Plot08:43 Three Themes12:19 The Power of Young Adult Fiction13:50 Short Books14:18 Outro
Discworld Read Through 8: Guards! Guards! The Book Guy 2025-08-29 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the eighth book, Guards! Guards! This is an ideal Starting Place for the Discworld series. And in my opinion, it's the first PERFECT Discworld book. This is the first of the City Watch books, a sub series with eight books in total. The City Watch are Crime and Mystery novels in a fantasy setting. Meet the cynical Captain Sam Vimes and the idealistic Carrot Ironfoundersson. Let's have a look at exactly why this is one of the most beloved series within Discworld. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro00:55 Overview of City Watch 02:35 The Concept03:42 Three Balanced Plotlines 06:36 Iconic Characters 08:37 Mature Themes & Prachett-ian Wisdom 11:42 Cynical Humour 13:01 The Future City Watch Books
The Five Warrior Angels Trilogy - Dark Epic Fantasy The Book Guy 2025-08-22 | Welcome back! Today we’re looking at the fantastic Brian Lee Durfee and his trilogy of books, the Five Warrior Angels. I really enjoyed this trilogy. In fact, I would even use the word ‘masterpiece’ to describe it. You might know Durfee from his youtube channel @B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS where he shares his incredible love of books. This is a dark epic fantasy trilogy in a classic Tolkien-esque fantasy world, with humans, elves and dwarves. The story is modernised and moves beyond many of those old fantasy tropes and even subverts them in clever ways. It’s a more Game of Thrones level of violence and realism. There’s a religious war and several heroic quests. But best of all, this is an extremely character driven story, with some of the best character work I’ve seen in a while. Buy Brian's books here: brianleedurfee.weebly.com/index.htmlBuy MY books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguyChannels Mentioned at the 6.00 minute mark:@ToriTalks2 @Johanna_reads 00:00 Intro 01:28 Overview of trilogy02:52 The Concept04:57 A Stereotypical Fantasy???07:27 Worldbuilding the Five Isles10:41 Plotlines - Quests, Mysteries, Warfare13:43 Characters - All the Arcs16:11 Religion and Nuances 19:57 Subverting High Fantasy Expectations21:52 The Length22:45 Representation25:01 Content Warning26:14 Is the Ending worth it? 27:06 How much should you try?27:46 Outro
Discworld Read Through 7: Pyramids The Book Guy 2025-08-15 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the seventh book, Pyramids, the first true stand-alone novel. This is a spoiler free review to help you decide if you want to read it. Although fair warning, this book is a bit rough! There is no such thing as a bad Discworld book. Every Discworld book is beautiful in its own way. But many fans would agree, if we had to pick our least favourite, it would by Pyramids! Let's have a look at exactly why this is. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro and Goofs01:31 Overview of Pyramids & Stand Alones04:16 The Concept06:10 Predictable Plotlines 07:37 Generic Characters 09:40 Themes of Tradition Vs Progress11:29 Humour is still strong!12:42 The Growth of the Series
While Darkness Gathers - A Masterful Sequel The Book Guy 2025-08-09 | Welcome back! Today we’re discussing @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy and his fantastic new book, While Darkness Gathers, the sequel to the Edan trilogy. This book is a great follow up to the main series, but it’s also quite different. It’s a stand alone adventure, it’s much shorter at 336 pages, it’s less dark, and more adventurous. In fact, if the Edan trilogy often gets compared to the Lord of the Rings, then I would compare While Darkness Gathers to The Hobbit. But the Hobbit if it came after. Let’s look at the sequel novel, spoiler free, and see if it’s something that you might like to read. Check out my review of Philip's earlier books, the Edan Trilogy.youtu.be/600X670sHv4?si=gtCfi2wk2co3V3huBuy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro 01:57 The Concept03:21 Short Books are Great!04:56 Four Characters & their Plots08:59 Worldbuilding More Magic10:16 The Art of the Sequel11:46 Improvements Over Edan13:54 Representation15:17 Content Warning15:46 Reading Order16:32 Outro
Discworld 6: Wyrd Sisters The Book Guy 2025-08-07 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the sixth book, Wyrd Sisters, the second of the Witches novels. This is a spoiler free review to help you decide if you want to read it. This book takes four separate Shakespearean stories and mashes them together in a way that is both satirical and sincere. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro and Goofs01:42 Overview of Book04:10 The Concept04:58 Folklore Stories07:09 Three Main Characters 09:35 Plotlines10:35 The Power of Stories and Anger13:55 The Humour15:18 Humanising Witches16:37 Outro
Discworld 5: Sourcery The Book Guy 2025-07-23 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the fifth book, Sourcery, the third of the Rincewind novels. This is a spoiler free review to help you decide if you want to read it. Sourcery may not be one of the most popular titles, but it's definitely one of the funniest books in the whold series. Let's take a look and see why. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro00:42 Overview of Book01:35 The Concept02:30 Sourcery Satire03:45 Three Main Characters 06:34 Plotlines07:23 Deeper Meaning08:22 The Humour09:58 Last Rincewind (For A While)11:20 Outro
Discovery - An Indie Genre-Bender! The Book Guy 2025-07-16 | Welcome back! Today we’re talking about my friends over at the channel @Talking_Story and their first book, Discovery. I’m thrilled to say, I loved it! I genuinely think it’s extremely well written. (Honestly, it’s a huge relief.) John, Amy and Jakob all wrote this book together. This is the start of a series, Strange Eons, which will have total of five books. This book is also a clever mishmash of cosmic horror, urban sci-fi, alternate history, and mystery. Discovery is – in a word – a strange novel. I’ve never read anything quite like this. Let's see if it's right for you!Subscribe to Talking Story here: @Talking_StoryBuy Discovery here: jajminton.comCheck out Philip Chase's interview with the Mintons:youtube.com/watch?v=Q1GOo-5dLTQ&t=6s&ab_channel=PhilipChaseBuy my books here: michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro & Overview02:28 The Concept03:43 Worldbuilding Many Genres06:41 The Characters & Their Plotlines10:53 All the Research13:50 The Horror! The Horror!14:54 Do I Have Any Critiques?16:51 Content Warning17:18 The Series Direction18:51 Begging for Money
Channel News! July 2025: Three Big Updates The Book Guy 2025-07-11 | Welcome! I have three special updates for The Book Guy channel. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Three Announcements00:19 1 - Monthly Themes03:47 2 - Book Four04:52 3 - Content Change06:50 Recap
My Channel was Hacked - & How I Got It Back The Book Guy 2025-07-10 | My Channel got hacked. Let me explain exactly how it happened, what security I had in place and how hackers got past it. Plus my tips on how to prevent it happening to you. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro00:21 Google's Data Breach01:43 Timeline of Events5:44 Practical Tips on Security08:16 Google Sucks11:55 Thanking the Booktube Community16:44 OutroChannels mentioned:@ArborWinterBarrow at 12.15@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy at12.44@Talking_Story at 12.44@DanielGreeneReviews at 13.48@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS at 14.15
Iron Widow - A Sci-fi Retelling of Chinas Female Emperor The Book Guy 2025-06-28 | Welcome back! Today we’re discussing the Iron Widow series by Xiran Jay Zhao. @XiranJayZhao These two young adult(ish) books are a retelling of the real-life story of the sole Empress of China, Wu Zetien, who ruled in the 6th century. But her story is now reimagined in an epic sci-fi setting, where people fire ki-blasts, and drive giant mecha-monsters, and fight hordes of aliens. But the real enemy is the patriarchy! Yeah, these books are f***ing amazing. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:28 Iron Widow - The Concept 03:51 Some Familiar Concepts05:20 Worldbuilding Ancient/Future China 08:23 Excellent Character Writing11:45 A Constantly Changing Plot12:37 Feminist Literature 15:19 Heavenly Tyrant - A Shift16:32 Is this really YA? 20:24 Bi-default22:18 Content Warning23:37 Is the Ending worth it?24:07 How much should you try?
Gideon the Ninth - The Locked Tomb - Dark Gothic Necromancy The Book Guy 2025-06-20 | Welcome back! Here's an honest, spoiler-free review of The Locked Tomb series, to help you decide if you want to try it for yourself.This series is New Adult, often described as 'Lesbian Necromancers'. It has some Young Adult tropes, like young protagonists, teenage rebellion against authority, and a magic school. But it’s combined with more adult fiction, darker content, mature themes, plus more advanced storytelling. This series surprised me! Despite being aimed at a slightly younger audience, it’s still such a deep and complex story. It’s definitely a top quality work of fiction that I enjoyed immensely. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:46 Gideon the Ninth - The Concept 03:23 Worldbuilding A Fantasy/Sci-fi Hybrid06:39 Unique Writing Style - Beautiful and Crass 08:13 Plot & Characters10:04 A Shifting Series11:40 Harrow, Nona, and The Locked Tomb15:08 Queer Romance... without the Romance16:25 Content Warning17:33 Is the Ending worth it?17:54 How much should you try?
Discworld 4: Mort The Book Guy 2025-06-19 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the fourth book, Mort, the first of the Death novels. This is a spoiler free review to help you decide if you want to read it. Mort is one of the most popular starting places of the Disworld series. Let's take a look and see why. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:05 Overview of Book01:58 The Concept02:40 Reading Order03:48 Characters Featured06:58 Plotlines07:53 Deeper Meaning09:01 The Humour10:34 Fun Facts About Mort11:20 The Perfect Starting Place?12:44 Outro
The Roots of Chaos - Epic Queer High Fantasy The Book Guy 2025-06-13 | Welcome back! Here's an honest, spoiler-free review of The Roots of Chaos series, to help you decide if you want to try it for yourself.I made the mistake of avoiding this series, because I thought it was romantasy. (No disrespect to romantasy!) But that's not what we have here. This series is intense High Fantasy of the highest calibre.There’s extensive worldbuilding, magic systems, history, mythology, an impressive amount of etymology, and a whole lot of dragons. So don’t make my mistake of misjudging this series. Samantha Shannon is a brilliant writer who deserves far more recognition. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:24 The Priory of the Orange Tree - The Concept 03:54 Worldbuilding (deceptively simple)07:42 Priory Plotlines10:17 The Storytellers12:53 A Slow First Half13:58 The Wider Series - Setting and Timeline17:28 A Day of Fallen Night - The Concept18:47 Epic Magic!19:51 New Characters22:45 Sapphic Stories25:02 Content Warning25:37 Is the Ending worth it?26:12 How much should you try?
Writing Realistic (but Fictional) Propaganda The Book Guy 2025-06-07 | Could you recognise propaganda if you saw it? Propaganda comes in many different forms, some are obvious, others not so obvious. Sometimes propaganda uses outright lies, but it can also use half-truths, or even pure facts, in order to manipulate our opinions and convince us of someone else’s ideas. Today we’re going to look at how propaganda works, how to recognise it, and how to write (fictional!) propaganda. For today’s fictional examples, we’re looking at The Hunger Games, 1984, and The Handmaids Tale. So minor spoilers for those. Welcome back to my series on Writing Difficult Topics. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:26 What is Propaganda? A History5:39 Three Types of Propaganda Intent09:01 Facts, Misinformation, and Disinformation11:45 Modes and Techniques16:52 The Language of Persuasion22:27 The Hunger Games28:11 198437:10 The Handmaid's Tale42:16 Break the Power of Propaganda45:13 What Have We Learnt?
Writing a Realistic Democracy - A Video Essay on Democracy in History, the World, and Fiction The Book Guy 2025-05-25 | Welcome to a deep dive at how democracies have functioned in the past, how they work in the world today, and how they are used in stories. I’m the Book Guy, and welcome to my new series on Writing Difficult Topics. Most people think they understand democracy. That democracy is always a good thing, and either you have it or you don’t. But democracy is actually a little more complicated than that. There are healthy democracies, and unhealthy democracies, with a whole spectrum in between. And there are a ton of threats that can weaken a democracy, or bring the whole system crumbling down. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:11 The Requirements of Democracy 06:12 Classifying Governments (Model One)10:17 Who Did Democracy First?12:28 Measuring a Democracy’s Health (Model Two)16:30 Parks and Rec - Threats to Democracy22:24 Star Wars Prequels - How Democracies Fall28:58 The Myth of a Tyrant's Genius34:17 V for Vendetta - A Managed Democracy37:35 What do these stories teach us?39:29 Australian Democracy - A Case Study47:00 What Have We Learnt?
Foundation by Isaac Asimov - The OG Sci-fi The Book Guy 2025-05-09 | Welcome back! Today we’re talking about Foundation, one of the sci-fi greats! A classic that has shaped all sci-fi in the decades since it’s publication and still influences the genre to this day. There are 7 books in this series. Asimov wrote the first 3 books all the way back in the 1940s, in small pieces across magazines. Then nearly 40 years later he finally wrote two sequel novels, and two prequel novels, bringing the total number to 7. Asimov wrote over 500 books in his lifetime. Yet of all his works, Foundation is among his most famous, and perhaps, his best. Let’s have a look at all seven of these books. We’ll discuss the changes in style between each period, the history of how they were written and published, and how they have influenced sci-fi for nearly 80 years. Hopefully, I’ll convince you to give them a try. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:43 The Concept03:15 Book 1 - A Thought Experiment05:46 Books 2 & 3 - Introducing More Story09:32 A Trilogy Forgotten13:41 Book 4 - Revival and Robots17:06 Book 5 - An Epic Journey20:03 The Shift to Prequels22:00 Books 6 & 7 - The Story of Hari Seldon25:31 Foundation's Legacy28:13 Updates
The Sun Eater Series - Bad or Brilliant??? The Book Guy 2025-05-03 | Welcome back! Today we’re discussing Sun Eater by Christopher Ruocchio. There’s six large books in this series, with the seventh and final book coming this November. This is the question you’ve got to ask yourself today; is this series going to bad for me, or perfect for me? Cause the people who love Sun Eater love it a LOT. Yet other people read these books and are underwhelmed. Personally, I liked a lot of things in these books, but found other things really frustrating. So why is there a bit of a divide here? Because Sun Eater is a strong flavour. Think of it like spicy food, which some will love and some will not enjoy. That’s why I’m going to pitch this series objectively, spoiler free, listing all the strengths and weakness, to help you decide if this flavour suits you. I want the RIGHT people to find this series and love it, and I want others to know this isn’t right for them. Both options are fine. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Long Intro03:15 The Concept04:42 The First Book is Rough!07:10 Worldbuilding a Galactic Empire09:58 All the Aliens11:59 Three Types of Plots 13:26 Characters are... inconsistent16:33 The Religious Themes19:17 A Wish-Fulfillment Story21:25 Strengths x425:18 Weaknesses x432:16 Deux Ex Machina - How To Write Miracles38:53 Regarding Books 4 & 540:44 (Not great) Representation43:37 Content Warning44:09 Is the Ending worth it?44:30 How much should you try?
Channel Birthday!!! + Updates & Your Most Frequent Questions The Book Guy 2025-04-27 | Welcome to a special celebration video! We are looking at all the victories we've had over the past two years since the channel was launched. Let's take a break, crack open a bottle, and enjoy a moment of reflection. And a LOT of goofing around! Shoutouts:@Talking_Story at 25.30@SarahKateIshii at 46.45Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Celebrating Our Wins 11:00 Kickstarter Updates17:25 Port Time!!!21:20 FAQs - How much do you read?24:40 How do you choose which books to review?28:42 Why are you always so positive in your reviews?30:45 Will you ever do a video on _____?31:55 How long does it take you to make each video?36:40 What does Kit do behind the scenes?39:30 What is coming up next for The Book Guy channel?45:00 A Big Thank You 48:07 We Goof Around Some More...
Children of Time - A Little Weird, but Brilliant! The Book Guy 2025-04-25 | Welcome back! Today we’re talking about the award winning series, Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky. THIS is how sci-fi is meant to be written! It’s not just shooting lasers and superpowers and spaceships. This is DEEP sci-fi, with incredible scientific accuracy, intricate worldbuilding, and some heavy discussions around the nature of the universe and humanity itself. But it’s also a pretty weird concept. I never would have thought this idea would work, let alone, work so well. Now let’s take a look at this trilogy, spoiler free, and discuss what it’s all about and see if these books are right for you. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:24 The Concept02:32 Weird Worldbuilding05:47 Trilogy Structure & Thought Experiments07:36 Two Overlapping Plots10:07 Characters from Time to Time12:57 Beautiful Themes16:06 An Award Rejected18:15 Representation19:06 Content Warning19:55 Is the Ending worth it?20:37 How much should you try?
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - A Fractal-Verse Review The Book Guy 2025-04-19 | Welcome to Sci-Fi month! For the next four weeks we’re looking at science fiction series, starting with Christopher Paolini’s new Fractalverse. It’s one massive book, To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, and one tiny prequel novel, Fractal Noise, with more to come soon. Paolini's first series - The Inheritance Cycle - saw him become real famous real fast. So that meant anything he did next was going to fall under extreme scrutiny. This series has had some extreme reactions of both love and hate! Personally, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. These are pretty good books… with a couple of flaws. Let’s look at the story and help you decide if you want to read them. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:02 Paolini's Popularity02:02 The Concept 03:17 The World of Space Travel06:05 Aliens07:19 Plotlines09:31 Characters12:55 A Basic Concept???17:09 It's LONG18:24 Fractal Noise - Concept20:01 The Powderkeg21:11 The A.I Cover Controversy24:57 What Comes Next?26:56 Representation28:48 Content Warning29:19 Is the Ending worth it?29:40 How much should you try?30:11 Coming Up Next
Discworld 3: Equal Rites The Book Guy 2025-04-15 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the third book, Equal Rites, the first of the Witches novels. This is spoiler free to help you decide if you want to read it. This is the book that made me fall in love with Discworld. Let's take a look and see why. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro00:45 Overview of Book01:49 The Concept02:14 Reading Order04:28 Characters Featured07:01 Plotlines10:43 Deeper Meaning14:12 The Humour15:06 Special Book to Me15:56 Outro
The World of Percy Jackson - The Ultimate Guide The Book Guy 2025-04-08 | Today, we’re going to talk about every single Percy Jackson book all in one ultimate video. The longest video I’ve ever made!This video is spoiler free, but it’s also a book trailer. Cause I’m pitching these books to you! I want to help you decide which ones you want to read. I'll outline WHAT all these books are and HOW they all fit together. I’ll discuss some commonalities throughout this whole universe. Then I’ll go through each series one by one. The timestamps are below, feel free to move around as needed. This video is a resource for you to use however you like. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:40 The Concept02:27 The Series Structure10:25 Things in Common16:06 1. Percy Jackson and the Olympians 22:08 2. The Heroes of Olympus 29:02 3. The Kane Chronicles34:07 4. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard41:17 5. The Trials of Apollo47:12 6. The Sun and the Star50:49 7. Percy Jackson - The Senior Year Adventures53:57 Outro
Live Interview with Amie Kaufman - Bestselling YA Author The Book Guy 2025-03-30 | Cronk the Book Guy interviews Amie Kaufman, author of the Illuminae Files, Aurora Rising, and Isle of the Gods.
Artemis Fowl - Quests + Heists + Evil Schemes! The Book Guy 2025-03-28 | Welcome! Today we’re looking at Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, one of the all-time greatest Middle Grade books in existence. This series is about Artemis, a boy genius and evil criminal mastermind, who tries to outsmart a race of fairies. It has complex stories and brilliant puzzles to solve, and deals with themes of good and evil, greed and family. It’s everything you could want in a Middle Grade book. (Also we’re just going to ignore the movie entirely.)Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:33 The Concept02:39 Fairy Tales04:26 Artemis the Anti-Villain07:02 Artemis the Genius10:30 Complex Plots13:26 Maybe too complex????14:27 Characters16:31 The Arch Enemy17:37 The Silliness19:30 Serious Themes20:58 The Sequel Series21:25 Content Warning21:55 Is the Ending worth it?22:10 How much should you try?22:46 Outro
The Nevermoor Series - The Best Kids Books Ever?? The Book Guy 2025-03-21 | Welcome back! Today we are discussing literally one of the greatest kids books of all time! Nevermoor is a beautiful, whimsy adventure into a magical world. It has clever mysteries and vibrant characters with such life and personality. And yet, Nevermoor is also quite mature and teaches kids about dealing with unfairness and prejudice. This is exactly what you want from a kids book. Mentioned: @jess.nevermoor Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:44 The Concept03:06 A Uniquely Magical World05:08 Key Characters06:47 Plotlines; Adventures, Mysteries, and Threats09:19 Themes of Nevermoor11:16 The Series Direction13:21 Content Warning14:16 Is the Ending worth it?14:44 How much should you try?15:08 Outro
The Themes of Malazan - A Panel Discussion The Book Guy 2025-03-17 | Welcome! The world of Malazan is famous for it's scope and complexity. But it's big themes deserve just as much attention. Almost every an aspect of life and society is discussed at some point in this series. Today, we've gathered some of the best minds on Booktube to attempt to unpack all the deeper meaning of Malazan. Come join us for a spoiler-free chat. Special Guests include:Phillip Chase @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Johanna @Johanna_reads Jimmy @thefantasynuttwork Make sure you check out their channels and consider subscribing. Send them all the love! Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Meet Our Guests05:00 What Is A Theme?06:20 Compassion18:00 Being A Good Person in a Complex World29:10 Certainty35:50 Cynicism & Optimism 40:10 Children43:30 Religion54:30 Seeing the Individual58:00 How We Value A Person01:06:10 Gods01:13:10 Compassion and Certainty Together01:14:30 Witnessing01:24:10 Empire's Fall01:31:50 Indigenous vs Imperialism01:36:00 Closing Thoughts
Skulduggery Pleasant - Middle Grade Horror! The Book Guy 2025-03-14 | Welcome back! We’re starting our new monthly theme of Middle Grade March. All this month we’ll be talking about kids books, starting with Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy! This dark fantasy has 15 books in the main sequence, plus a bunch of side novels, novellas, and a short story collections. I’ll help you sort them all out and decide which ones you want to read. This series can be quite dark. It deals with spoooooky themes, violent deaths, and some lite-horror. These books are for ages 11 and up. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:00 The Concept02:51 A Story in Four Genres05:07 Magic and McGuffins06:40 Flawed Characters09:03 Phase One Books10:23 Phase Two Books11:53 Phase Three & Stand Alones13:18 A Problem with Repetition16:09 Is Horror appropriate for kids?18:50 Representation20:31 Content Warning21:15 Is the Ending worth it?21:52 How much should you try?22:10
We Need To Talk About Onyx Storm - A Balanced Review The Book Guy 2025-03-06 | Everyone's talking about Onyx Storm, either loving it or hating it to extreme levels. So here's a balanced review! Looking at all the strengths and all the weaknesses in a calm, considered manner. Enjoy this unscripted chat about this bestselling phenomenon. The first half of the video is Non-Spoiler for all three books thus far. The second half of the video includes full spoilers. And there's plenty of warning in the middle! Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:36 Non-Spoiler14:36 SPOILERS!!!27:31 Outro
Discworld Read Through 2: The Light Fantastic The Book Guy 2025-03-05 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the second book, the Light Fantastic. This is spoiler free to help you decide if you want to read it. Book 2 is certainly an improvement, but has it reached the true high standard of later Discworld books? Let's take a look. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro00:45 Overview of Book01:41 The Concept02:21 Characters Featured4:40 Reading Order5:15 The Plot5:54 Deeper Meaning07:17 The Humour08:02 Room for Improvement09:55 Outro
Malazan Prequels - Path to Ascendancy - The Perfect Starting Place?? The Book Guy 2025-02-27 | Welcome back everyone! I’m the Book Guy, and today we're discussing the final Malazan sub-series we haven’t talked about yet, Path to Ascendancy. This series is by Ian Esslemont. And these are his prequel novels, about the young Emperor Kellanved, and the assassin Dancer, as they fight to build the mighty Malazan Empire. These prequels are often overlooked by Malazan fans. And yet I think they just might be the best place to start Malazan! They’re easy reading, fast paced, and focus on a small cast of characters. And they provide essential backstory to the Malazan world. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro 02:40 The Concept 04:11 Different Style and Scope06:47 Three Types of Plotlines09:59 Character Writing12:42 Connections to the Wider World14:48 Themes16:35 Reading Order18:25 Channel Updates
Malazan Empire Novels by Ian C Esslemont - JUST AS GOOD! The Book Guy 2025-02-21 | Welcome back! We’re in the middle of a Malazan month, looking at all the books in the extended universe. Today we’re finally talking about the books by Ian C Esslemont, the second author working in this world.These books are very different. With different strengths and different weaknesses to Steven Erikson’s books. In some ways, I liked Esslemont’s more! And yes, in some ways I like them less. Today we’ll look at Esslemont’s main series, Novels of the Malazan Empire. We’ll look at what the story is about, how these fit into the wider series, and how the writing style differs between the two authors. Ultimately I want to help you decide if you want to read all of these books too. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:44 The Malazan Empire - The Concept03:07 How are these books different?07:18 Going Through the Books08:00 1. Night of Knives09:26 2. Return of the Crimson Guard11:45 3. Stonewielder13:46 4. Orb Sceptre Throne15:43 5. Blood and Bone16:39 6. Assail18:33 Why Read This Series?21:13 Reading Order22:17 Outro
Discworld Read Through 1: The Colour of Magic The Book Guy 2025-02-19 | Join me on a read through of Discworld! Today we're looking at the first book, the Colour of Magic. This is spoiler free to help you decide if you want to read it. Is this the best starting place? What's so special about Discworld? Let's take a look. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:27 Overview of Book03:06 The Concept04:39 Four Story Structure07:00 The Humour09:05 Not the best start??10:20 Outro
Malazan! - Prequels & Sequels & Novellas, Oh My! The Book Guy 2025-02-14 | Welcome back! You’ve probably heard about Malazan, but most people only talk about the main sequence. Book of the Fallen, the ten books by Steven Erikson. And yet, there are fifteen other Malazan books that don’t get anywhere near as much love or attention, despite often being just as good! Maybe even BETTER! So today we’re looking at Steven Erikson’s extended Malazan books. And over the next three weeks we’ll look at ALL the other books, including the works of Ian Esslement. I’m here to help you decide how far down the Malazan rabbit hole you want to go. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:21 Outline of All Malazan Books07:27 The Kharkanas Trilogy19:57 The Witness Trilogy27:35 Bauchelain and Korbal Broach35:05 Outro
The Illuminae Files - Sci-fi + Horror + YA The Book Guy 2025-02-08 | Welcome back! I’m the Book Guy, here to help you decide which books you want to read. Today we’re discussing The Illuminae Files. This is a very unconventional trilogy, written as a collection of evidence being presented in a court room! We the audience are going through the files to find the truth of events. The files themselves are things like text messages and email conversations, transcripts of CCTV footage, radio calls, ship logs, and interviews with survivors. There’s also a fair bit of horror. And a consistent presence of romance. This is a sci-fi horror romance. And it’s a hell of a combo. Let's see if it’s gonna be right for you. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:34 The Concept02:52 The Unusual Format05:30 Protagonists and Plotlines06:24 Illuminae08:48 Gemina10:17 Obsidio11:28 The Horror!12:43 The Power of Competence14:22 Representation15:20 Content Warning15:56 Is the Ending worth it?16:20 How much should you try?16:38 Updates
Three Indie Authors with Fantastic Debut Books! The Book Guy 2025-02-03 | Welcome back! I’m the Book Guy and today we’re discussing Indie authors! Looking at three self-published authors who have written fantastic debut books. I hope you'll pick your favourite and give it a try!Book 1: The Sharp Edge of Fatetfjohnson.com Book 2: A Journey Thrice Begunentergyra.com Book 3: Fire From Ashesjessicabarberi.comBuy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:56 Sharp Edge of Fate08:53 A Journey Thrice Begun14:17 Fire From Ashes18:34 Pick Your Favourite
Shattered Seas Trilogy - Subverting the YA Genre! The Book Guy 2025-01-30 | Welcome back! Today we’re discussing the Shattered Seas trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, as part of our monthly theme of Young Adult books. This is a Viking fantasy, inspired by Scandinavian culture and mythos. It’s a high seas adventure with a world full of secrets. Yet most curious of all is the blending of genre. This series is Young Adult and Grimdark, two things that don’t usually go together, but actually work really well. We have the coming of age story of young adult, combined with the harsh realities of life, as shown in grimdark. This series is also a great introduction to the grimdark genre. Let’s see if it’s right for you. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:26 The Concept 02:12 Worldbuilding03:50 Plotlines and Protagonists05:12 Half a King06:38 Half the World08:04 Half a War09:22 The Grimdark Angle14:12 Subverting Expectations16:35 Representation17:46 Content Warning18:13 Is the Ending worth it?19:30 How much should you try?19:47 Updates
We Need to Talk About Wind and Truth The Book Guy 2025-01-25 | Welcome to my uncut, unscripted, and unhinged review of Wind and Truth!People have been talking about these book for nearly two months, and a lot of negative criticisms have been made. Are they true? Let's take an objective look about what everyone has been saying so far and try to give a balanced response. The first half of the video in NON SPOILERS. The second half of the video HAS SPOILERS. You have been warned. Buy my books here (ebooks available now, physical books soon)michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:50 NON SPOILERS19:05 SPOILERS34:15 Coming Up Next
Shades of Magic - & What Defines YA The Book Guy 2025-01-18 | Welcome back! I’m the Book Guy, and I’m here to help you find a good book to read. We’re in the middle of YAnuary, our monthly theme of looking at Young Adult books. We’re discussing Shades of Magic, even though it’s officially classified as adult! Because I read the whole thing and fully thought it was YA. So we’ll have a discussion about the way books are classified as adult or young adult, and decide how much that classification actually matters. This series is comprised of the Shades of Magic trilogy, and the start of a new second trilogy with just one book so far, the Fragile Threads of Power. We’ll look at the story, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this series and see if it’s gonna be right for you! Buy my books here (after 8th January 2025)michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:08 The Concept03:31 Worldbuilding04:45 Magic06:13 Characters08:33 Early Plots09:33 Middle Plots14:14 Later Plots16:08 Adult or Young Adult18:56 Representation20:35 Content Warning20:58 Is the Ending worth it?21:20 How much should you try?21:36 Updates
The Grishaverse - The YA Phenomenon The Book Guy 2025-01-10 | The Book Guy is back with a new title sequence! We’re starting a new monthly theme of YAnuary, focusing on Young Adult books.The Grishaverse has 7 books by Leigh Bardugo. You may have heard of them because of the Netflix series Shadow and Bone. Today we’re talking about all seven. I’ll explain each of their strengths and weaknesses, and how they all fit in together. Let’s begin!Buy my books here (after 8th January 2025)michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:36 Shadow and Bone Concept03:00 Worldbuilding06:23 Grisha Magic09:53 Shadow and Bone Plotlines11:13 Shadow and Bone Characters12:09 Six of Crows Concept13:14 Heisty Plots14:20 Heisty Characters16:31 King of Scars Concept17:43 Scars Plotlines18:52 Scars Characters20:32 The TV Show22:06 The Elephant in the Room25:29 Representation27:11 Content Warning27:47 Is the Ending worth it?28:14 How much should you try?28:55 Channel Info30:05 Bloopers...
My Top 10 Series of All Time - 2025 Edition The Book Guy 2025-01-02 | Welcome! Today I'm finally sharing all my personal thoughts on my favourite series. We have 10 series in the top spot, and 4 honourable mentions. This is to help you find your next favourite book! I've got so many videos now, introducing different book series and giving you lots of reading options. So this video is designed to help you narrow down your search and give you a clearer picture about what you want to try next. Enjoy! Buy my books here (after 8th January 2025)michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro02:20 10th - The World of the First Law03:57 9th - The Green Bone Saga05:51 8th - The Expanse08:23 7th - Lord of the Rings/Middle Earth10:30 6th - Malazan Everything14:15 5th - The Dresden Files17:25 4th - The Realm of the Elderlings21:38 Honourable Mentions x426:05 3rd - ???29:05 2nd - ???32:03 1st - ???34:48 Read What You Want35:38 Channel Updates
Rhythm of War - The WORST Stormlight Book??? The Book Guy 2024-12-21 | I love the Stormlight Archive! There is no such thing as a bad Stormlight book. Yet every time I see people ranking the four Stormlight books, Rhythm of War tends to be lowest. So we’re going to explore that today. Does this book actually have problems? Or are there other reasons for this slightly lacklustre audience response? I really want to understand this, because I love Rhythm. This book means so much to me. Let's explore together. To support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:50 The Longest Book03:55 Fewer Action Scenes05:21 So. Much. Science09:21 Captivity Plotline13:58 Flashbacks18:19 Setting Up Twists22:17 Written on a Deadline23:23 Why We Love Rhythm of War25:23 Outro
Words of Radiance - The BEST Stormlight Book??? The Book Guy 2024-12-19 | There’s no fantasy series quite like the Stormlight Archive! Yet every time people rate these books, the second book, Words of Radiance, is widely regarded as the best one. What has led to book 2 having earnt such a dear place in the hearts and minds of readers? Join me, the Book Guy, as I explore this very question today. To support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.comInstagram @cronkthebookguy00:00 Intro01:22 What does Brandon think?01:50 Character Agency04:30 Predicting Popularity06:01 The Clearest Goals11:43 Magical Payoff13:15 The Characters are Happy14:19 The Good Guys Win15:36 The Least Trauma16:34 Fewer Characters and Fewer Plots18:06 Personal Journeys19:32 Outro
The Edan Trilogy by Dr Philip Chase - Classic Fantasy is Back! The Book Guy 2024-11-29 | Welcome back! We're discussing the Edan trilogy by Philip Chase. @PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy The Edan trilogy is High Fantasy, in the style of the Lord of the Rings. This series is so densely packed with history, worldbuilding lore, hyper realism, and gorgeous prose! It is, quite simply, some of the most brilliant writing I’ve ever encountered. It’s also… a LOT. Very dense and complex, and it has strong stylistic choices. So I'm discussing these books to make sure the right people find them and love them as they deserve to be loved. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.com00:22 Intro02:03 Concept03:27 Worldbuilding6:47 Religion, Science, and Magic12:18 Lyrical Writing Style14:09 Plotlines - A Holy War16:57 Characters - The One Weak(ish) Link18:53 Realism vs Dramatization25:09 The Third Book is...Strange26:04 Representation27:45 Content Warning28:50 Is the Ending worth it?29:12 How much should you try?29:48 Outro
Kickstarter Wrap Up - Channel Update - and Q&A! The Book Guy 2024-11-23 | Welcome! Today we're sharing final tally's and behind the scenes info on the Book Guy Kickstarter. There's some exciting channel updates for 2025!And a fun Q&A session at the end. Enjoy a fun, chilled chat with the Cronks. Get your copy of my trilogy of books 'The Immortal Investigations' on Kickstarter: bit.ly/47Jlt7TTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.com00:00 Intro01:13 Thank you02:04 Final Tally05:59 Fulfillment Plans10:03 Audio Books16:00 Book Covers21:43 Editing25:42 Channel Updates!28:38 Future Video Essays32:03 The Book Gal36:09 Writing My Next Book38:00 Q&A!54:52 Final Thoughts57:20 Bloopers
Soul Fraud by Sigils - A Great Urban Fantasy! The Book Guy 2024-11-07 | Welcome back! Today we're looking at the Debt Collection series, by author Andrew Givler @GivReads (also known as the gamer, Sigils!) @sigils This is an urban fantasy, similar in style and vibes to the Dresden Files. It’s light hearted, action heavy, and just a lot of fun. I’d also consider this series almost G rated. Very family friendly. And yet, this is still a pretty adult series in terms of complexity. It has intricate mystery plots with very well executed twists at the end. There’s some very well thought out worldbuilding of secret Immortals and secret magics. And there’s just excellent comedy too. Check it out! Get your copy of my trilogy of books 'The Immortal Investigations' on Kickstarter: bit.ly/47Jlt7TTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop:patreon.com/c/CronkTheBookGuyrainbowspaceunicorn.com00:00 Introduction02:54 The Concept 04:31 Worldbuilding an Urban Fantasy06:39 Plots of Mystery09:33 Character Writing - A Strong Voice11:34 Main Character Syndrome12:43 Comedy Time! (No, really)14:02 Book 4 - An Escalation15:40 Representation17:20 Content Warning17:54 Is the Ending Worth It?18:11 How much should you try?18:43 Outro
Lindsay Ellis Books - A Rocky Start Leads to Greatness The Book Guy 2024-10-18 | Get your copy of my trilogy of books 'The Immortal Investigations' on Kickstarter: bit.ly/47Jlt7TWelcome back! We're discussing all three books by Youtuber Lindsay Ellis. @LindsayEllisVids This is a DEEP dive into the worldbuilding, plotlines, and character work across the Noumena Series to help you decide if you want to read it. The series has an incredible race of extraterrestrials and juggles heavy themes and social commentary. We'll also look at how the series has a rough start, but ends up being a masterpiece. We'll celebrate the strengths of the books, and analyse the weaknesses in an honest but kind manner. Buy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop: Patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy rainbowspaceunicorn.comredbubble.com/people/rubyandpearl/shop?ref=typeaheadInstagram @cronkthebookguy 0:00 Intro2:28 The Concept3:25 Worldbuilding – A Unique Alien Race8:23 Plotlines10:22 Character – A Weaker Start14:26 The Elepahnt in the Room – There was some....controversy17:06 Social Commentary & Heavy Themes19:55 Representation20:39 Content Warning21:07 Is the Ending Worth it?21:28 How much should you try?21:51 Outro
Daniel Greenes Books - An Honest (but kind) Analysis The Book Guy 2024-10-11 | Welcome back! We're discussing all three books by Youtuber Daniel Greene. @DanielGreeneReviews This is a DEEP dive into the worldbuilding, plotlines, and character work across two series, to help you decide if you want to read them. We'll look at the two Lawful Times novellas, a dark fantasy series. And the Neon Ghost novel, a cyberpunk dystopian. We'll celebrate the strengths of the books, and analyse the weaknesses in an honest but kind manner. Listen to the full audiobooks of the Lawful Times novellas:Breach of Peace: youtu.be/pTNm1Y-sa0o?si=vRnQG-Kx06K6TpoBRebel's Creed: youtu.be/pOzAwvLIWuo?si=kS6fxQHrQmsdg3fcBuy my books here! michaelcronk.comTo support the channel, check out my patreon and my shop: Patreon.com/CronkTheBookGuy rainbowspaceunicorn.comredbubble.com/people/rubyandpearl/shop?ref=typeaheadInstagram @cronkthebookguy 0:00 Intro3:29 Lawful Times – The Concept4:22 Why Two Short Novellas?7:05 Grimdark and Flintlock8:28 A Witch's Skin – Concept9:45 CyberPunk Dystopia12:10 A Little More Character13:11 Neon Plot16:06 Strengths of all three books17:58 Weaknesses of all three books20:34 Second Weakness, There's Not Enough Worldbuilding24:30 3rd Weaknesses, the books over-rely on Violence27:38 4th Weakness, the Characters are VERY Shallow29:12 5th and final weakness, Books are Unresolved by the End31:40 It's Hard to Write a Book32:45 Outro
