Mike I am so grateful for you. You made me excited about reading again. I have a history degree and read history for four years and it made me hate reading. I started watching your channel and this past year I’ve read my all time high 35 books this year! I am eternally grateful for you and your channel thank you so much!
I’m looking forward to the next convocation of The Quilluminati to discuss all things Uhtred! You might even convince me to watch the show The Last Kingdom. 😁 Also, it’s awesome to hear how much you enjoyed The Devils! And I definitely hear you when it comes to how busy teachers get before a holiday. Happy reading, Mike!
Mike glad you have FFVII rebirth in your bucket list! Its fantastic. FFVII remake was my first final fantasy and both the games make me feel like a child again! They have a child lile sensibility and wonder and awe that is missing in a lot of media these days. They are truly something special!
Dude. You've gotten me obsessed with John Gwynne now. I'm a quarter of the way through Ruin and I just ordered the Of Blood and Bone trilogy to dive right back into the Banished Lands once I'm done with Faithful and the Fallen. Thanks Mike!
Just got back from church and was pleasantly surprised to see a Mike’s Book Review Weekly Update. Last week I didn’t finish anything, I was in a stalemate and ended up reading about twenty pages from ten books. This week I hope to read and possibly finish (although it probably won’t happen) The Fires of Heaven. I’ve also been waiting for you to say when you were starting The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell, so I should be starting that as well.
I’m going to be honest here…..I have about 12 unfinished games (Cyberpunk included) and about another 10 new games that I’ve bought that are collecting dust in my library. Why? Because at the end of the day I’m more interested in reading. I always gravitate towards reading even when I find great video games and movies to watch. It’s like I have ADD but with media/video games because I keep getting distracted by the next best book to read. 🤷♂ Oh well!
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on The Last Kingdom, I keep putting it off because I want to watch the show first but I am feeling the fomo hahaha. Happy reading Mike!!
I bought The Last Kingdom and the second book at Half-Priced Books in Tyler last year. I'm waffling between starting it, Malice by John Gwynne or Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan. Decisions, decisions....
Loved both very much but The Last Kingdom was better overall than Vikings (At least in my opinion). Still have yet to watch the sequel movie. Keep it up good sir!
Read: The complete Cyber Force vol 1 (Image Comics) Reading: 'The Drawing of the Three' - Stephen King (reread plan to finish this week) 'Shogun' - James Clavell (finished reread of the first 3 books/parts from earlier this year, December plan to finish confidently with the knowledge who the large cast is that made it hard for me to pick up again) Watched: Cobra Kai Listened: weird week of death metal classics and 90's girl power Playing: Decide my birthday/xmas gift for this year would be a Steam Deck because of the move to digital. With a handheld can go to places with better internet instead of days to download. So rushing through my replay of Fallout 4 I been doing.
Dying to hear your thoughts on Cobra Kai. Those last 15 min or so of “Eunjangdo” completely shocked me. I sat there like, “HOLY CRAP THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING”
I think you would like the prestige mike. I enjoyed it quiet a lot last week. I tried to get into Salem's lot this week and gave it over 2 hours of the audiobook before I noped out. I was so bored. I'm gonna try some Dean Koontz this week instead. I figure if I try enough books I'll find something my husband and I both like that we can read together. I've already finished 56 books this year with several dnfs and several ongoing books that are just going to take me a while to read. I don't really feel like I have enough time to stick it through books over 10 hours in audiobook if by hour two im super bored. It just seems like I could be reading better books and enjoying my time instead. Asked my husband how many books a week we will probably read next year and he was like two a week seems good. So now I've got to find 100 books for next year that both of us will like. He thinks we're gonna double my goal by next year and I was like ballsy I like it.
Your son sounds like my kind of gamer! 😂 I don’t necessarily choose games due to them being hard but I do like combat that involves trying different things, learning the mechanics and being patient while not getting away with button bashing. Elden ring is amazing, just be prepared to have both idea what is going on or where you’re supposed to go 😂
I read King Lear, The Want-Ad Killer and On Writing this week and started Excalibur today. Somehow it slipped through the cracks at the beginning of the year. I went to the bookstore over the weekend and ordered my copy of Shogun and also picked up books 6 and 7 of Dresden files, Upgrade by Blake Crouch and The Grapes of Wrath. 2025 TBR is shaping up nicely.
Early this year I thought about you talking about Dresden as being a "palate cleanser" between big books and took that thought into the Saxon Chronicles. For most of the year I have been reading one a month, they are so short and snappy, I can pretty much read one a week, and I have really really enjoyed it. I think I only have three or four books left in the series, but I am very happy with the series to this point and I am thinking about replacing it with Cornwell's Sharpe series after I finish it.
I 100% agree on Cyberpunk. I played it when it was released and just couldn't finish it. Now I'm going to download it again and give it another shot. You have to play Dragon Age: The Veilguard-it's amazing! I just finished Something Wicked This Way Comes-great book!
Always enjoy your weekly updates! I finished Fury of the Gods and really liked it. My thoughts were very similar to yours. I’m reading The Last Kingdom now and am loving it. My bet is that you it will like it! It has a coming of age element that is very good so far. Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh man, nice to get your kid Elden Ring :D. I am wrapping up The Expanse and preparing for Stormlight 5. My reading fell of in the past 3 months since I decided to do some catchup with my game list. I have sooo much stuff to play, I haven't even done the Cyberpunk expansion and the Elden Ring DLC. I am currently playing Doom Eternal since I had it in my backlog for ages :D
Great Update, Mike! Reading We Are The Dead and its awesome! Watching The Penguin and loving it. I need to play Cyberpunk now that its fixed. I also haven't finished FF Rebirth but will prob buy the sequel too😂
Mike, I don't know if anybody told you this, but this Dune Prophecy series quickly abandons Brian Herbert's book. They basically go over Sisterhood of Dune in 20-ish minutes and then skip 30 years ahead and they're apparently doing their own stuff. They're even referencing God Emperor of Dune and "Arafel". Seems like this is the rarest of occasions where not following the source material seems to be the best course of action. So far, it's been pretty cool, bar a few "Game of Thronesism" that has been hard to shake off from any high profile scifi/fantasy series.
The ending of the orphanage was so unbelievably sad and tragic. Was going to start Malice, but i may want to read the Last Kingdom. The Last Kingdom is one of my favorite recent tv series
Don't start Malice unless you don't plan on going anywhere but the banished lands for the next month lol. I'm currently reading the Faithful and the Fallen, on book 3 already and can't put it down.
Well I just finished the 5th book in the dungeon crawler Carl series And it's pretty solid still enjoying the series. Currently reading Taken, Book 3 in the Alex verse series. Looking forward to starting the last kingdom in December Also planning to read A Vengeful Realm by Tim Facciola
Hi Mike. How are you doing? I am so jealous of your wife for playing the Harry Potter game like crazy. I wish I was doing that, but because I am unemployed right now, I don't have any money to spend. It's been a real struggle. On a more positive note, I agree with you about World Without End by Ken Follett. I loved reading while listening to those first 2 books. I'm thinking about picking up the last 3 books in that series and the third book in the Century Trilogy next year. This week, I finished reading while listening to the second book in a YA series called Star Wars Queens Peril, and I have started reading while listening to Star Wars Queens Hope by E. K. Johnston. This is a trilogy that focuses on Padme Amidala. You could easily read them before and after the Phantom Menace and the Clone Wars books. I am about 46% into Queens Hope. After that, I might dive into the Women by Kristin Hannah, or Star Wars Catalyst by James Luceno. If not those, then Blackwater for sure. I just have to see where my reading mood is going to go. Another book on my list is Star Wars Leia Princess of Alderon by Claudia Gray, and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson.
I'm currently reading Children of Dune . . . kind of. Having a really hard time getting into it. I might put it on pause and read something else for a bit
I didn't even want to go see the second Dune movie. I'm verrrry particular about adaptations - I get there must be changes, but when you leave out key scenes or don't do a good job visually showing important things - I'm out. There is so much to that book that's communicated non verbally between characters, they really should've nailed it for a film. I'm also rather salty about the dinner scene being left out. lol
I haven’t finished ROW yet. Been reading it off and on all year but just can’t get in it. Maybe I read the others too close together and got burned out I dont’t know.. I would like to finish before the end of year….
I'm about 20 ages left until finishing empire of the wolf trilogy then I think my next series I start I'm gonna go sci-fi and start red rising. Idk much about it but it sounds very interesting
I actually DNF’d The Last Kingdom. Just didn’t work for me…pretty boring, read more like a history book than a good fiction book. I’m halfway done with Pillars of the Earth and it’s real solid…describing it as a book about a Cathedral is a terrible description….the scheming and politicking and back stabbing…it gives me ASoIAF vibes in a weird way. It’s actually fairly GrimDark even…living in 12th century is pretty brutal, obviously.
Jesus is God. He came down to Earth and was born to a virgin. He is fully man and fully God. Jesus lived a sinless life and fulfilled the whole law. He was the spotless lamb on the cross and was the Final Passover. Jesus paid the price of sin on the cross. Repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone, Mark 1:15. Sin is the breaking of God’s law such as lying, stealing, taking God’s name in vain, looking at a woman with lust, or getting drunk. Repenting means turning away from your sin to God and asking him for forgiveness. If you truly repent, you will be a new creation and won't love the world and its sin. If you repent and trust in Jesus Christ alone, he will save you.
Mike I am so grateful for you. You made me excited about reading again. I have a history degree and read history for four years and it made me hate reading. I started watching your channel and this past year I’ve read my all time high 35 books this year! I am eternally grateful for you and your channel thank you so much!
Mike's taste is infallible to me at this point. Turned me onto Herbert, Cahill, Ruocchio, and now John Gwynne. Definitely got me loving reading again.
That is so awesome to hear!
I finally started The Hobbit and I am out of the frying pan into the fire.
@samofWinterfell Hope your enjoying it, this was my gateway into the Lord of The Rings Novels followed by the other books of Middle-Earth.
The Hobbit is such a fun little romp through Middle Earth. Enjoy!
Lucky you! I so wish I could read it again as if it was my first time!
Anytime I need comfort and good prose, I go for the Hobbit!
I’m looking forward to the next convocation of The Quilluminati to discuss all things Uhtred! You might even convince me to watch the show The Last Kingdom. 😁 Also, it’s awesome to hear how much you enjoyed The Devils! And I definitely hear you when it comes to how busy teachers get before a holiday. Happy reading, Mike!
The Devils is so good. And I hear ya on the pre-holiday craziness.
The Last Kingdom is so underrated!!! A must watch!
The first 2 episodes are ok and then it gets better and better….
Mike glad you have FFVII rebirth in your bucket list! Its fantastic. FFVII remake was my first final fantasy and both the games make me feel like a child again! They have a child lile sensibility and wonder and awe that is missing in a lot of media these days. They are truly something special!
Dude. You've gotten me obsessed with John Gwynne now. I'm a quarter of the way through Ruin and I just ordered the Of Blood and Bone trilogy to dive right back into the Banished Lands once I'm done with Faithful and the Fallen. Thanks Mike!
Good move.After those dive into Bloodsworn saga,different yet amazing.❤
Just got back from church and was pleasantly surprised to see a Mike’s Book Review Weekly Update.
Last week I didn’t finish anything, I was in a stalemate and ended up reading about twenty pages from ten books.
This week I hope to read and possibly finish (although it probably won’t happen) The Fires of Heaven.
I’ve also been waiting for you to say when you were starting The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell, so I should be starting that as well.
That sounds like a good week to me.
Been reading Dandelion Dynasty Book 2 and Ender’s Game. Very different books but really
Enjoying the mix
Respect for waiting until the general public can get a hold of Devils
I’m going to be honest here…..I have about 12 unfinished games (Cyberpunk included) and about another 10 new games that I’ve bought that are collecting dust in my library. Why? Because at the end of the day I’m more interested in reading. I always gravitate towards reading even when I find great video games and movies to watch. It’s like I have ADD but with media/video games because I keep getting distracted by the next best book to read. 🤷♂ Oh well!
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on The Last Kingdom, I keep putting it off because I want to watch the show first but I am feeling the fomo hahaha. Happy reading Mike!!
I bought The Last Kingdom and the second book at Half-Priced Books in Tyler last year. I'm waffling between starting it, Malice by John Gwynne or Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan. Decisions, decisions....
Oh man I’m so ready for a new Abercrombie series it’s not even funny, can’t wait.
the last kingdom is my favorite show. really want to start the books but im stuck on rhythm of war :'(
Get though row!!! wat is near ❤
Loved both very much but The Last Kingdom was better overall than Vikings (At least in my opinion). Still have yet to watch the sequel movie.
Keep it up good sir!
Read: The complete Cyber Force vol 1 (Image Comics)
Reading: 'The Drawing of the Three' - Stephen King (reread plan to finish this week)
'Shogun' - James Clavell (finished reread of the first 3 books/parts from earlier this year, December plan to finish confidently with the knowledge who the large cast is that made it hard for me to pick up again)
Watched: Cobra Kai
Listened: weird week of death metal classics and 90's girl power
Playing: Decide my birthday/xmas gift for this year would be a Steam Deck because of the move to digital. With a handheld can go to places with better internet instead of days to download. So rushing through my replay of Fallout 4 I been doing.
Dying to hear your thoughts on Cobra Kai. Those last 15 min or so of “Eunjangdo” completely shocked me. I sat there like, “HOLY CRAP THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING”
I think you would like the prestige mike. I enjoyed it quiet a lot last week. I tried to get into Salem's lot this week and gave it over 2 hours of the audiobook before I noped out. I was so bored. I'm gonna try some Dean Koontz this week instead. I figure if I try enough books I'll find something my husband and I both like that we can read together. I've already finished 56 books this year with several dnfs and several ongoing books that are just going to take me a while to read. I don't really feel like I have enough time to stick it through books over 10 hours in audiobook if by hour two im super bored. It just seems like I could be reading better books and enjoying my time instead.
Asked my husband how many books a week we will probably read next year and he was like two a week seems good. So now I've got to find 100 books for next year that both of us will like. He thinks we're gonna double my goal by next year and I was like ballsy I like it.
How sweet that your husband reads with you! You lucked out with each other😊!
Your son sounds like my kind of gamer! 😂 I don’t necessarily choose games due to them being hard but I do like combat that involves trying different things, learning the mechanics and being patient while not getting away with button bashing. Elden ring is amazing, just be prepared to have both idea what is going on or where you’re supposed to go 😂
I read King Lear, The Want-Ad Killer and On Writing this week and started Excalibur today. Somehow it slipped through the cracks at the beginning of the year.
I went to the bookstore over the weekend and ordered my copy of Shogun and also picked up books 6 and 7 of Dresden files, Upgrade by Blake Crouch and The Grapes of Wrath. 2025 TBR is shaping up nicely.
I've seen all the adaptations but I think I'm finally ready to read IT by Stephen King.
Early this year I thought about you talking about Dresden as being a "palate cleanser" between big books and took that thought into the Saxon Chronicles. For most of the year I have been reading one a month, they are so short and snappy, I can pretty much read one a week, and I have really really enjoyed it. I think I only have three or four books left in the series, but I am very happy with the series to this point and I am thinking about replacing it with Cornwell's Sharpe series after I finish it.
I 100% agree on Cyberpunk. I played it when it was released and just couldn't finish it. Now I'm going to download it again and give it another shot. You have to play Dragon Age: The Veilguard-it's amazing! I just finished Something Wicked This Way Comes-great book!
SLAYER!!!!!! 🤘🏽🤘🏽
I was going to comment the same. 🤘😎
Always enjoy your weekly updates! I finished Fury of the Gods and really liked it. My thoughts were very similar to yours. I’m reading The Last Kingdom now and am loving it. My bet is that you it will like it! It has a coming of age element that is very good so far. Happy Thanksgiving!
Good luck with your year-end reading, Mike. I'd love to see your list of top 20 favorite books of all time.
Destiny is all!!
Wicked looks crap, but I’m going to see Gladiator 2 this week. I think it’ll be great
Oh man, nice to get your kid Elden Ring :D. I am wrapping up The Expanse and preparing for Stormlight 5. My reading fell of in the past 3 months since I decided to do some catchup with my game list. I have sooo much stuff to play, I haven't even done the Cyberpunk expansion and the Elden Ring DLC. I am currently playing Doom Eternal since I had it in my backlog for ages :D
Great Update, Mike! Reading We Are The Dead and its awesome! Watching The Penguin and loving it. I need to play Cyberpunk now that its fixed. I also haven't finished FF Rebirth but will prob buy the sequel too😂
As if I weren't hyped enough for The Devils as is. Awesome stuff!
definitely never looked forward to a book as much as Devils!!!
It was great hearing about your Black Friday gaming deals 👌
Wow you gotta play Elden ring Mike after your son beats it. He can guide you
Think you'll like the Last Kingdom. A good chunk of the first book is Uhtred's coming of age and youth among the vikings learning to become a warrior
Mike, I don't know if anybody told you this, but this Dune Prophecy series quickly abandons Brian Herbert's book. They basically go over Sisterhood of Dune in 20-ish minutes and then skip 30 years ahead and they're apparently doing their own stuff. They're even referencing God Emperor of Dune and "Arafel".
Seems like this is the rarest of occasions where not following the source material seems to be the best course of action. So far, it's been pretty cool, bar a few "Game of Thronesism" that has been hard to shake off from any high profile scifi/fantasy series.
You’re finally going to reas TLK!!! It’s one of my favorite shows and believe me the books so far (I’ve read the first 3) do not disappoint!
Mike the never ending buyer 😆
The ending of the orphanage was so unbelievably sad and tragic. Was going to start Malice, but i may want to read the Last Kingdom. The Last Kingdom is one of my favorite recent tv series
Don't start Malice unless you don't plan on going anywhere but the banished lands for the next month lol. I'm currently reading the Faithful and the Fallen, on book 3 already and can't put it down.
awesome
I picked up Cyberpunk 2077 last year and yeah, it's pretty awesome 😎
Well I just finished the 5th book in the dungeon crawler Carl series And it's pretty solid still enjoying the series. Currently reading Taken, Book 3 in the Alex verse series. Looking forward to starting the last kingdom in December Also planning to read A Vengeful Realm by Tim Facciola
Hi Mike. How are you doing? I am so jealous of your wife for playing the Harry Potter game like crazy. I wish I was doing that, but because I am unemployed right now, I don't have any money to spend. It's been a real struggle. On a more positive note, I agree with you about World Without End by Ken Follett. I loved reading while listening to those first 2 books. I'm thinking about picking up the last 3 books in that series and the third book in the Century Trilogy next year. This week, I finished reading while listening to the second book in a YA series called Star Wars Queens Peril, and I have started reading while listening to Star Wars Queens Hope by E. K. Johnston. This is a trilogy that focuses on Padme Amidala. You could easily read them before and after the Phantom Menace and the Clone Wars books. I am about 46% into Queens Hope. After that, I might dive into the Women by Kristin Hannah, or Star Wars Catalyst by James Luceno. If not those, then Blackwater for sure. I just have to see where my reading mood is going to go. Another book on my list is Star Wars Leia Princess of Alderon by Claudia Gray, and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson.
its hard to put into words, but the book Magnetic Aura from Talesio completely changed my life and it's not new age bs
I'm currently reading Children of Dune . . . kind of. Having a really hard time getting into it. I might put it on pause and read something else for a bit
The Dune show goes over the Brian Herbert books in the first 10 minutes, the rest is all new story. It's pretty good so far.
I didn't even want to go see the second Dune movie. I'm verrrry particular about adaptations - I get there must be changes, but when you leave out key scenes or don't do a good job visually showing important things - I'm out. There is so much to that book that's communicated non verbally between characters, they really should've nailed it for a film. I'm also rather salty about the dinner scene being left out. lol
You'll think about the Roman empire a lot in the Saxon stories. Actually it's going to blow your mind. Wyrd bið ful āræd.
good
Though how Dresden files, Changes ended…..I need to get into Ghost Story!
I haven’t finished ROW yet. Been reading it off and on all year but just can’t get in it. Maybe I read the others too close together and got burned out I dont’t know.. I would like to finish before the end of year….
I'm about 20 ages left until finishing empire of the wolf trilogy then I think my next series I start I'm gonna go sci-fi and start red rising. Idk much about it but it sounds very interesting
I’ve only read Half a King by Joe Abercrombie… but The Devils sounds pretty interesting!
Try First Law trilogy ❤
Those Poor Media left alone 🙁
love your videos, warm recommendation for you is to read 'Magnetic Aura' and thank me later
dune prophecy is actually an original story.. its only 5 minutes of brian's cannon and its a monologue in the beginning
Yes yes read what ever book you recommend, BUT where you get the shirt???
Does this mean we will be getting an Edgerunners review one day?
Cyberpunk was great at launch on PC. It was only bad on PS4 And XB1. Too weak. PL is great DLC though.
Towards the end of the first episode of Dune Prophecy their is a Nightclub scene . That confirmed to me I would not be watching any more of the show.
Finished The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez. Gave it 3 out of 5. Meh, for me. Back to The Expanse, Nemesis Games!
You should def play Elden Ring
if you're seeing this comment, it might be a sign to read 'Magnetic Aura' from Talesio ❤️
Hey Mike! What are your thoughts on the Season 3 finale of From?
Got the last 2 to watch still.
I actually DNF’d The Last Kingdom. Just didn’t work for me…pretty boring, read more like a history book than a good fiction book. I’m halfway done with Pillars of the Earth and it’s real solid…describing it as a book about a Cathedral is a terrible description….the scheming and politicking and back stabbing…it gives me ASoIAF vibes in a weird way. It’s actually fairly GrimDark even…living in 12th century is pretty brutal, obviously.
lol
Jesus is God. He came down to Earth and was born to a virgin. He is fully man and fully God. Jesus lived a sinless life and fulfilled the whole law. He was the spotless lamb on the cross and was the Final Passover. Jesus paid the price of sin on the cross. Repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone, Mark 1:15. Sin is the breaking of God’s law such as lying, stealing, taking God’s name in vain, looking at a woman with lust, or getting drunk. Repenting means turning away from your sin to God and asking him for forgiveness. If you truly repent, you will be a new creation and won't love the world and its sin. If you repent and trust in Jesus Christ alone, he will save you.
awesome
love your videos, warm recommendation for you is to read 'Magnetic Aura' and thank me later