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Yona of the Dawn is that slow burner that when you realize you're already hooked, already too invested on the characters and you kind of don't see it coming in a way. But when you look back you realize how much they all have grown as individuals and as a group
To think that I almost dropped Yona, right after she falls down the cliff in the beginning. I don't know how I would forgive myself for passing up my soon-to-be favorite manga. Thank goodness I stuck with it.
I loved The Goblin Emperor and am already rereading it. I just fell in love with Maya as a character. He has so much stacked against him, yet he constantly tries to do right by every one of his people while still standing up for himself. He is definitely a kinder person than I will ever be. Your are right though, readers who prefer plot-centric or fast-paced books won't like the book.
I'm so happy you're completely hooked on Yona! The story is so great and I love how it progresses. I am SO curious about your theories on Zeno - he's one of my favorites from this story!
I just finished the shadow casket today and thought it was fantastic! One of the best books i've read in quite awhile. I don't want to spoil anything here so I won't add any more other than I totally agree with you about his prose and writing style. And I also agree that in 3 years I did expect some relationships would have changed a bit more. Some parts were predictable but even with that in mind I was still excited to see how things played out. Overall my complaints are minor and I very much enjoyed it!
Merphy, you have made me so giddy and happy when you started discussing Yona, and I knew that these 2 volumes would not disappoint in the slightest. I was smiling and giggling throughout your reactions. Whenever I recommend Yona, I can't wait for people to get to these two volumes to know their reactions of chapters 91 and 99, yet no one I know picks it up, let alone get this far. You are the very first person that I know, whether it's online or in person, that has gotten this far, and your reactions did not disappoint. The only thing that could have made it better is if you had gone in-depth and into spoilers. I'm so glad that Yona has become a story you have come to love, and that it has me over the moon, and can't wait for you to experience the rest and hear your thoughts. Lastly, just wanna say thank you for giving Yona a shot, and sharing your journey through your volgs, and I can't wait for the next one.
I share your feeling here! More infos would have been great, because these chapters were also among my favourites! Really glad Merphy gave Yona some time :)
I think I eventually decided that the mystery of the airship just genuinely is not the main plot of The Goblin Emperor; the main plot is Maia figuring out how to be the emperor in a way he can live with. Whether that’s something the reader enjoys is fairly individual from there, I think!
The Goblin Emperor is one of my absolute favourite books, I've reread it many times. It's definitely a niche or marmite book though. It feels like it's tailored exactly to me in a way I've only experienced with a handful of books.
I'm so sad that you didn't enjoy the Goblin Emperor. I'm in the camp of new favourite, because I loved Maia so much. Not having a plot doesn't bother me as long as I like the characters and political intrigues. But Maia just wanting to do right was my favourite part.
Completely agree with everything you said about TGE, i am one of the people it didn't work for it was just very slow and uninteresting to me. But get why so many ppl love it.
Totally true about Goblin Emperor, I really didn't care for it much, but my girlfriend loved it. She doesn't care if books get deep or not, she just wants something to read when she goes to bed at night.
Another fantastic and amazing reading vlog love it 🥰 please enjoy your reading 📖 prayers and thoughts for you and your husband and your beautiful children love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤
Personally, I love The Goblin Emperor. I've re-read it 4 or 5 times in the last few years. The characters and setting feel so lived in despite its length and the themes resonate with me a lot. It definitely falls into the "comfort reads" category for me.
100% agreed on the Shadow Casket, also loved the first book it was incredible, but the sequel just wasn’t as good, for just those reasons. Listened to it on audio book as well and had the same instances where I found myself more inclined to do something else like listening to music instead of the book at times, and yikes the repetition of issues! But some amazing reveals and some very sad but quietly happy moments too… Still very much looking towards the release of the third book, just hoping it feels more like book 1 when it eventually comes out.
I’m really looking forward to The Shadow Casket! It sounds like Chris Wooding isn’t exempt from the curse of book 2, but that usually leads to a stronger book 3 so I’m keeping my hopes up!
Yona is fantastic! The mangaka has a shorter series as well that I enjoyed too called NG Life. Definitely more silly, but I enjoyed it. As for The Goblin Emperor, I read it once and really enjoyed it, but my life feels too busy to read it again because it is slow.
Bro, I picked up NG Life because it was by Mizuho Kusanagi on a whim, and I ended loving it as well. Though not nearly to the extent of Yona, but still a great read nonetheless. Love Keidai and how hysterical it is.😂
I’m one of those readers who really clicked with Goblin Emperor (but totally agree that it’s a niche book). Other than loving Maia, I was so intrigued by the everyday politics and meetings/negotiations. But I also loved the boardroom politics in Jade War too, which I know you and others found boring haha. But I ate it up! Can’t wait to try Ember Blade but will definitely be going into the sequel with tempered expectations.
I read the Goblin Emperor last year and I loved it. I did ask myself what the point of the book was at one point, but I enjoyed the main character so much that I just went with it.
I liked the next two novels she wrote in the world of the Goblin Emperor much more than that book itself. That one held me at a distance, those other two really sucked me in from the beginning - they’re really great!
Awwww, I'm sorry! I loved this book. Don't read The Cemetaries of Amalo. If you want to know more about Celehar, just read the spark notes. I like the books fine but if you thought The Goblin Emperor was slow. Yeah. I read them because I adore Celehar and want to know what happens to him, not for the story so much.
I put up a review/vlog of the first quarter of The Shadow Casket, but have been reluctant to put up my completed review because no one else had really reviewed it (also some technical issues). I was afraid I was the only one who felt the way I felt about it. Your review has given me some assurance. I am not alone! I totally felt the same way. It was great, but had some moments where progress seemed to just.... cease....despite the action continuing on. And I was not satisfied with the way the jungle quest felt like a vehicle for revealing... stuff.... and getting rid of.... some characters.... (trying not to give spoilers). I'll go ahead and put up my review in the next couple days. Thanks for being the best booktuber!
The jungle quest! Ugh, that whole thing was horribly placed. We had really jarring instant travel to get to it and then just another slog with trying to develop some characters I didn't care about.
So Shadow Casket...I just started it last night and I'm through the first 100 pages and it seems like we're getting a love triangle for some reason that is not needed or wanted. I was a big Ember Blade fan, but I'm starting kind of sus on this one.
I read The Goblin Emperor ages ago but it was an all-time favourite at the time. Need to reread it so that I can continue now that it’s no longer a standalone
I've read the other books (and liked them) and honestly still consider The Goblin Emperor a standalone. The Witness for the Dead is set in the same world with one crossover character but it's not a direct sequel and isn't set at court.
Wow! I didn't now there was a bibliography of Daniel Greene... The Globin Emperor...I'm pretty sure that title is daniel's idea. What a narcisist. Anyway, nice video Merphy XDDDDD
Hi Merphy! I wasn't able to finish The Goblin Emperor for many of the reasons you pointed out, but particularly the in-depth political sections. Just can't do those. Oh well.
Ooooof the Goblin Emperor. I read that when it first came out and was so excited, because the premise sounded so cool. It ended up not being for me, for the exact reasons you mentioned, and to the point that I got really mad about it! I loved Maia, I loved the setting, and on paper, the premise was really interesting! But for some reason, it just didn't work. I had to force myself to read it. I remember the end kind of being interesting, but the center just slogged. The author was a good writer and her characters were all interesting. By all accounts, it should have worked for me, but it really didn't.
Finished The Final Empire...currently reading Well Of Ascension(it's a reread btw), and I'm surprised by how well it's holding up!!! Anyway, yeah, Merphy, I think I'm joining you as a Fitz hater. I'm currently reading Assassin's Apprentice and omg Fitz is so insufferable he's getting on my damn nerves! I'm almost halfway through and nothing interesting is happening, the training isn't interesting, the politics isn't interesting, the characters aren't interesting! I trust Hobb so so much because Liveship Traders is my favourite trilogy ever and I was hooked from the get go but this one though, I can't find myself to care for ANY of these characters and I'm halfway through! Anyway, rant over, but I don't know whether I'll finish that book. My reading this year has been so good(can't wait for your wrap up for me to talk about Water 7😍😍😍). Hobb is testing me though😬
I think Goblin Emperor was a pretty cosy read, it's really just "nice person becomes The Boss" in a slice of life fantasy book format, and yeah nothing much happens other than him integrating himself into his role at the head of a complicated political structure and wins people over by being a straightforward, humble and endearing person. For a lot of people, that's all the content they need. If you want something to actually *happen*, then yeah it probably won't click. And I have a new manga to read now with Yona 😁 - I wondered why I had never heard of it and then when I looked it up I saw why - it's Shoujo, which I have not given much time of day in my 15ish years of reading manga (tried a few here and there) but I think it's about time I give it another shot.
I haven't read Ember Blade but I read and liked book 1 of Wooding’s last series, Ketty Jay, quite a bit. Yet I found book 2 of that has a slow pacing and generally not as good as the first.... I hope book 3 (of Ketty Jay AND this Ember Blade series) gets better as I do like his characters and action scenes.
Merphy I recently got the lies of Locke Lamora on your recommendation, and I must say, it does have a interesting beginning. Merphy since you are a character focused reader, and you love OnePiece, might I suggest you a Manga with extremely well written characters, which is one of the only five Mangas ever to topple OnePiece from it’s throne, and it’s called NANA.
I'm glad you enjoyed book 2 of the Ember Blade series. I'm encouraged as I have decided to pick up book 1 soon. Random question... Have you read Life of Pi by Yann Martel? Talking about intense scenes with characters and high stakes, made me think of Life of Pi for some reason. It's a great read.
I started the Goblin Emporer 3 years ago and I have had no desire to finish it. I found the names were really confusing listening to the auido book. Well written for sure though!
I love political intrigue in Fantasy but Goblin Emperor has never caught my interest. I'm almost finished Name of the Wind and still rereading Deadhouse Gates
Yona of the Dawn is that slow burner that when you realize you're already hooked, already too invested on the characters and you kind of don't see it coming in a way. But when you look back you realize how much they all have grown as individuals and as a group
To think that I almost dropped Yona, right after she falls down the cliff in the beginning. I don't know how I would forgive myself for passing up my soon-to-be favorite manga. Thank goodness I stuck with it.
I loved The Goblin Emperor and am already rereading it. I just fell in love with Maya as a character. He has so much stacked against him, yet he constantly tries to do right by every one of his people while still standing up for himself. He is definitely a kinder person than I will ever be. Your are right though, readers who prefer plot-centric or fast-paced books won't like the book.
"Do you want to go down that hole? NO!" So cute
I'm so happy you're completely hooked on Yona! The story is so great and I love how it progresses. I am SO curious about your theories on Zeno - he's one of my favorites from this story!
I just finished the shadow casket today and thought it was fantastic! One of the best books i've read in quite awhile. I don't want to spoil anything here so I won't add any more other than I totally agree with you about his prose and writing style. And I also agree that in 3 years I did expect some relationships would have changed a bit more. Some parts were predictable but even with that in mind I was still excited to see how things played out. Overall my complaints are minor and I very much enjoyed it!
I love your little cozy spot you’ve been filming from (in the beginning of this vlog) 💕
Thank you for the interludes Merphy😭 *Am looking at it!!!*
Merphy, you have made me so giddy and happy when you started discussing Yona, and I knew that these 2 volumes would not disappoint in the slightest. I was smiling and giggling throughout your reactions. Whenever I recommend Yona, I can't wait for people to get to these two volumes to know their reactions of chapters 91 and 99, yet no one I know picks it up, let alone get this far. You are the very first person that I know, whether it's online or in person, that has gotten this far, and your reactions did not disappoint. The only thing that could have made it better is if you had gone in-depth and into spoilers. I'm so glad that Yona has become a story you have come to love, and that it has me over the moon, and can't wait for you to experience the rest and hear your thoughts. Lastly, just wanna say thank you for giving Yona a shot, and sharing your journey through your volgs, and I can't wait for the next one.
I share your feeling here! More infos would have been great, because these chapters were also among my favourites!
Really glad Merphy gave Yona some time :)
Merphy should get a bigger bookshelf XD
I’m doing a reread of ember blade so I can get the full effect of shadow casket
I think I eventually decided that the mystery of the airship just genuinely is not the main plot of The Goblin Emperor; the main plot is Maia figuring out how to be the emperor in a way he can live with. Whether that’s something the reader enjoys is fairly individual from there, I think!
I love "The Goblin Emperor" I really liked the political intrigue.
The Goblin Emperor is one of my absolute favourite books, I've reread it many times. It's definitely a niche or marmite book though. It feels like it's tailored exactly to me in a way I've only experienced with a handful of books.
I feel exactly the same way! I loved it the first time I read and every other time too. It is so à niche book and I never know how to recommend it.
I'm so sad that you didn't enjoy the Goblin Emperor. I'm in the camp of new favourite, because I loved Maia so much. Not having a plot doesn't bother me as long as I like the characters and political intrigues. But Maia just wanting to do right was my favourite part.
Great, Merphy! Loved hearing your thoughts on the sequel as I’m hoping to read The Ember Blade next month! Have a fantastic rest of the month!
Completely agree with everything you said about TGE, i am one of the people it didn't work for it was just very slow and uninteresting to me. But get why so many ppl love it.
Totally true about Goblin Emperor, I really didn't care for it much, but my girlfriend loved it. She doesn't care if books get deep or not, she just wants something to read when she goes to bed at night.
Another fantastic and amazing reading vlog love it 🥰 please enjoy your reading 📖 prayers and thoughts for you and your husband and your beautiful children love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤
Its a shame that anime didnt get into good parts of Yona, I had same issue with Magi
I do hope you read Magi and watch Mushishi too
Yes! I love Magi
Personally, I love The Goblin Emperor. I've re-read it 4 or 5 times in the last few years. The characters and setting feel so lived in despite its length and the themes resonate with me a lot. It definitely falls into the "comfort reads" category for me.
100% agreed on the Shadow Casket, also loved the first book it was incredible, but the sequel just wasn’t as good, for just those reasons. Listened to it on audio book as well and had the same instances where I found myself more inclined to do something else like listening to music instead of the book at times, and yikes the repetition of issues! But some amazing reveals and some very sad but quietly happy moments too… Still very much looking towards the release of the third book, just hoping it feels more like book 1 when it eventually comes out.
I’m really looking forward to The Shadow Casket! It sounds like Chris Wooding isn’t exempt from the curse of book 2, but that usually leads to a stronger book 3 so I’m keeping my hopes up!
Yona is fantastic! The mangaka has a shorter series as well that I enjoyed too called NG Life. Definitely more silly, but I enjoyed it.
As for The Goblin Emperor, I read it once and really enjoyed it, but my life feels too busy to read it again because it is slow.
Bro, I picked up NG Life because it was by Mizuho Kusanagi on a whim, and I ended loving it as well. Though not nearly to the extent of Yona, but still a great read nonetheless. Love Keidai and how hysterical it is.😂
Look at Fujimoto's oneshot works to be amaze
I’m one of those readers who really clicked with Goblin Emperor (but totally agree that it’s a niche book). Other than loving Maia, I was so intrigued by the everyday politics and meetings/negotiations. But I also loved the boardroom politics in Jade War too, which I know you and others found boring haha. But I ate it up!
Can’t wait to try Ember Blade but will definitely be going into the sequel with tempered expectations.
I read the Goblin Emperor last year and I loved it. I did ask myself what the point of the book was at one point, but I enjoyed the main character so much that I just went with it.
I liked the next two novels she wrote in the world of the Goblin Emperor much more than that book itself.
That one held me at a distance, those other two really sucked me in from the beginning - they’re really great!
I hope that you made a full video about yuna , about your opinion around manga and it characters (sorry for my English)
Awwww, I'm sorry! I loved this book. Don't read The Cemetaries of Amalo. If you want to know more about Celehar, just read the spark notes. I like the books fine but if you thought The Goblin Emperor was slow. Yeah. I read them because I adore Celehar and want to know what happens to him, not for the story so much.
Loving the new reading corner & return of b-roll from your adventures out hiking
Another cozy book that Merphy does not like, 🤣🖤
Indeed Bucky, she is heartless!
Yona has one of the best main character growth story😊😊
I put up a review/vlog of the first quarter of The Shadow Casket, but have been reluctant to put up my completed review because no one else had really reviewed it (also some technical issues). I was afraid I was the only one who felt the way I felt about it. Your review has given me some assurance. I am not alone! I totally felt the same way. It was great, but had some moments where progress seemed to just.... cease....despite the action continuing on. And I was not satisfied with the way the jungle quest felt like a vehicle for revealing... stuff.... and getting rid of.... some characters.... (trying not to give spoilers).
I'll go ahead and put up my review in the next couple days. Thanks for being the best booktuber!
The jungle quest! Ugh, that whole thing was horribly placed. We had really jarring instant travel to get to it and then just another slog with trying to develop some characters I didn't care about.
So Shadow Casket...I just started it last night and I'm through the first 100 pages and it seems like we're getting a love triangle for some reason that is not needed or wanted. I was a big Ember Blade fan, but I'm starting kind of sus on this one.
I read The Goblin Emperor ages ago but it was an all-time favourite at the time. Need to reread it so that I can continue now that it’s no longer a standalone
I've read the other books (and liked them) and honestly still consider The Goblin Emperor a standalone. The Witness for the Dead is set in the same world with one crossover character but it's not a direct sequel and isn't set at court.
It sounds like the Goblin Emperor lacks compelling stakes
Wow! I didn't now there was a bibliography of Daniel Greene... The Globin Emperor...I'm pretty sure that title is daniel's idea. What a narcisist. Anyway, nice video Merphy XDDDDD
I also couldn't get into Goblin Emperor. I like Maya and tend to also be a character-focused reader, but I just could vibe with the book.
Hi Merphy!
I wasn't able to finish The Goblin Emperor for many of the reasons you pointed out, but particularly the in-depth political sections. Just can't do those.
Oh well.
OMG Akatsuki no Yona!! ❤
I am glad you are loving Yona of the dawn. It's one of my favourite series. Will you start reading Naruto someday?😃
thanks for sharing your vlog
🧡📚🧡📚🧡📚🧡
Ooooof the Goblin Emperor. I read that when it first came out and was so excited, because the premise sounded so cool. It ended up not being for me, for the exact reasons you mentioned, and to the point that I got really mad about it! I loved Maia, I loved the setting, and on paper, the premise was really interesting! But for some reason, it just didn't work. I had to force myself to read it. I remember the end kind of being interesting, but the center just slogged. The author was a good writer and her characters were all interesting. By all accounts, it should have worked for me, but it really didn't.
Finished The Final Empire...currently reading Well Of Ascension(it's a reread btw), and I'm surprised by how well it's holding up!!!
Anyway, yeah, Merphy, I think I'm joining you as a Fitz hater. I'm currently reading Assassin's Apprentice and omg Fitz is so insufferable he's getting on my damn nerves! I'm almost halfway through and nothing interesting is happening, the training isn't interesting, the politics isn't interesting, the characters aren't interesting! I trust Hobb so so much because Liveship Traders is my favourite trilogy ever and I was hooked from the get go but this one though, I can't find myself to care for ANY of these characters and I'm halfway through!
Anyway, rant over, but I don't know whether I'll finish that book. My reading this year has been so good(can't wait for your wrap up for me to talk about Water 7😍😍😍). Hobb is testing me though😬
JOIN ME ON THE SIDE OF FITZ HATE!
@@merphynapierreviews please read the promised neverland and my hero academia...
Also will you review the way of edan by Philip???
I think Goblin Emperor was a pretty cosy read, it's really just "nice person becomes The Boss" in a slice of life fantasy book format, and yeah nothing much happens other than him integrating himself into his role at the head of a complicated political structure and wins people over by being a straightforward, humble and endearing person. For a lot of people, that's all the content they need. If you want something to actually *happen*, then yeah it probably won't click.
And I have a new manga to read now with Yona 😁 - I wondered why I had never heard of it and then when I looked it up I saw why - it's Shoujo, which I have not given much time of day in my 15ish years of reading manga (tried a few here and there) but I think it's about time I give it another shot.
Just give it time, it's a pretty rough start imo
I haven't read Ember Blade but I read and liked book 1 of Wooding’s last series, Ketty Jay, quite a bit. Yet I found book 2 of that has a slow pacing and generally not as good as the first.... I hope book 3 (of Ketty Jay AND this Ember Blade series) gets better as I do like his characters and action scenes.
I so badly want to read the shadow casket because I loved the ember blade but I'm gonna wait for the paperback the wait is killing me tho 😭😭😭
Merphy I recently got the lies of Locke Lamora on your recommendation, and I must say, it does have a interesting beginning. Merphy since you are a character focused reader, and you love OnePiece, might I suggest you a Manga with extremely well written characters, which is one of the only five Mangas ever to topple OnePiece from it’s throne, and it’s called NANA.
I'm glad you enjoyed book 2 of the Ember Blade series. I'm encouraged as I have decided to pick up book 1 soon. Random question... Have you read Life of Pi by Yann Martel? Talking about intense scenes with characters and high stakes, made me think of Life of Pi for some reason. It's a great read.
I started the Goblin Emporer 3 years ago and I have had no desire to finish it. I found the names were really confusing listening to the auido book. Well written for sure though!
For the Goblin Emperor, I am on the MC is great plot is boring side.
I love political intrigue in Fantasy but Goblin Emperor has never caught my interest. I'm almost finished Name of the Wind and still rereading Deadhouse Gates
Hey Merph, please read Lord of the Mysteries. It is a serialised novel
Are you gonna be doing a shadow casket spoiler review?
I don't think so. I usually do those with the books i love and this one had great moments but also wasn't a new fav for me
splash
Bruh.😂
I am trying to read the name of that penguin book with the black mirror/plate thingy. Help!
It's The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas
@@merlinssister12 thanks!
will u read Naruto at any point?...Please