Fantasy for the Ages

• Our 5 Star Reads of 2025 You Can't Miss!

  What were the absolute best books we read in 2025? The ones that didn’t just blow us away, but earned the always desired by not always earned: a perfect 5-star score? Today, Jim and Zach reveal their Unshakable 5-Star SFFH Discoveries of 2025 — the science fiction, fantasy, and horror reads that rose above everything else we picked up this year.These aren’t necessarily new releases… just the books that hit hard, surprised us, moved us, impressed us, and refused to let go. If you’re looking for can’t-miss recommendations or the next book to add to your TBR, this episode has you covered.Drop your own 5-star reads of the year in the comments — your recommendations have led us to some of our favorite discoveries, and we’d love to see what rose to the top for you in 2025.Thanks for watching, for liking and subscribing, and for being part of the Fantasy for the Ages community! And a huge shout-out to our Patreon supporters for helping us keep the show going — you’re amazing.👇 Support the Channel & Join Our Community!✨ Patreon — help us grow and unlock special perks: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges#FantasyForTheAges #BookTube #5StarReads #SFF #FantasyBooks #ScienceFiction #HorrorBooks #BestBooks2025 #ReadingRecommendations #BookReview #TBRWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?The Blinding Knige: Dancers’ Lament: Dungeon Crawler Carl Series: Feed: The Indian Lake Trilogy: Lightbringer Series: My Heart is a Chainsaw: Mongrels: The Murderbot Diaries: The Name of the Wind: The Newsflesh Trilogy: Path to Ascendency Series: The Strength of the Few: This Inevitable Ruin: The Will of the Many: The Wise Man’s Fear: Ways to connect with us:Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected] Email us: [email protected] Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening 0:57 - Episode Explanation1:47 - What Makes for a 5-Star Book?4:28 - How We’re Laying This Out5:32 - Our Top 2025 5-Star Reads24:14 - Conclusion & Wrap-up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/

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• Our 5 Star Reads of 2025 You Can't Miss!

  What were the absolute best books we read in 2025? The ones that didn’t just blow us away, but earned the always desired by not always earned: a perfect 5-star score? Today, Jim and Zach reveal their Unshakable 5-Star SFFH Discoveries of 2025 — the science fiction, fantasy, and horror reads that rose above everything else we picked up this year.These aren’t necessarily new releases… just the books that hit hard, surprised us, moved us, impressed us, and refused to let go. If you’re looking for can’t-miss recommendations or the next book to add to your TBR, this episode has you covered.Drop your own 5-star reads of the year in the comments — your recommendations have led us to some of our favorite discoveries, and we’d love to see what rose to the top for you in 2025.Thanks for watching, for liking and subscribing, and for being part of the Fantasy for the Ages community! And a huge shout-out to our Patreon supporters for helping us keep the show going — you’re amazing.👇 Support the Channel & Join Our Community!✨ Patreon — help us grow and unlock special perks: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges#FantasyForTheAges #BookTube #5StarReads #SFF #FantasyBooks #ScienceFiction #HorrorBooks #BestBooks2025 #ReadingRecommendations #BookReview #TBRWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?The Blinding Knige: Dancers’ Lament: Dungeon Crawler Carl Series: Feed: The Indian Lake Trilogy: Lightbringer Series: My Heart is a Chainsaw: Mongrels: The Murderbot Diaries: The Name of the Wind: The Newsflesh Trilogy: Path to Ascendency Series: The Strength of the Few: This Inevitable Ruin: The Will of the Many: The Wise Man’s Fear: Ways to connect with us:Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected] Email us: [email protected] Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening 0:57 - Episode Explanation1:47 - What Makes for a 5-Star Book?4:28 - How We’re Laying This Out5:32 - Our Top 2025 5-Star Reads24:14 - Conclusion & Wrap-up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/

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• The Most Epic Bad Guys From 2010 to 2024!

  This is it — the grand finale! We’ve covered villains from the 1950s to the 2000s, and now we’re tackling the modern era: 2010 to 2024, a stretch filled with some of the most debated, beloved, and terrifying villains in genre fiction.From Negan’s brutality to Thanos’s twisted philosophy… from Taravangian’s chilling logic to Feyd-Rautha’s electrifying return to prominence… these villains defined the stories of our time. Jim breaks down why each of them dominated their year and what makes them so unforgettable.Smash that Like, hit Subscribe, and dive into our biggest villain episode yet!👇 Support the Channel & Join Our Community!✨ Patreon — help us grow and unlock special perks: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges✨ Like, Subscribe & Ring the Bell✨ Leave a comment with YOUR favorite villains of the era!👉 #FantasyForTheAges #Villains #ModernFantasy #ModernSciFi #Thanos #Negan #FeydRautha #Joker #Cosmere #StormlightArchive #TheExpanse #Dune #BookCommunity #BookTubeWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?2312: https://t.ly/3CgGLAuthority: https://t.ly/DMsbGBlackwing: https://t.ly/_ag1QThe Blinding Knife: https://t.ly/z73TBChildren of Time: https://t.ly/_cwiNDeath’s End: https://t.ly/FiCrgDune: https://t.ly/4_w_kFeed: https://t.ly/sHLzhFourth Wing: https://t.ly/fYmJzHoly Sister: https://t.ly/_VzVsThe Jasmine Throne: https://t.ly/uxRnuThe Justice of Kings: https://t.ly/uZG8qLeviathan Wakes: https://t.ly/muEYaLight Chaser: https://t.ly/4Ury9A Memory Called Empire: https://t.ly/Rgq_PA Memory of Light: https://t.ly/HvE8CNemesis Games: https://t.ly/5jD5WNetwork Effect: https://t.ly/ZtKprShadows of Self: https://t.ly/mfaVeThe Shining Girls: https://t.ly/A_BYvThe Tainted Cup: https://t.ly/gUFcbThe Terraformers: https://t.ly/XKb3sUpgrade: https://t.ly/tlIzLThe Walking Dead: https://t.ly/A4GrwThe Wise Man’s Fear: https://t.ly/zKufnWords of Radiance: https://t.ly/PmZF4Ways to connect with us:Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected] Email us: [email protected] Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening 1:12 - Episode Explanation1:49 - The 2010s Countdown14:22 - Conclusion & Wrap-up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/

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• Most EPIC Fantasy and Sci-Fi Villains of the 2000s!

  We continue our Villains-by-Decade journey with the 2000s — a transformative era in fantasy and science fiction where storytelling took major leaps forward. This decade delivered richly layered worlds, morally complex narratives, and antagonists who pushed heroes — and readers — into darker, more surprising territory.Join Jim as he explores each year of the 2000s, highlighting the villains who captivated audiences, reshaped their genres, and left lasting marks on modern speculative fiction.If you’re enjoying this series, be sure to like, subscribe, and ring the bell so you never miss an episode!👇 Support the Channel & Join Our Community!✨ Patreon — help us grow and unlock special perks: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges✨ Like, Subscribe & Ring the Bell✨ Leave a comment with YOUR favorite villain of the 2000s!👉 #FantasyForTheAges #FantasyVillains #SciFiVillains #BookTube #FantasyBooks #ScienceFictionBooks #SFFCommunity #Villains #SpeculativeFiction #ReadingCommunityWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?Ash: A Secret History: https://t.ly/n0PIHThe Black Company series: https://t.ly/Z8c82Blindsight: https://t.ly/YMEJxThe Blood Knight: https://t.ly/4ex8IThe Curse of Chalion: https://t.ly/0jYJMDiscworld series: https://t.ly/Qh0w_The Gripping Hand: https://t.ly/XK7I-Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: https://t.ly/8MoJBKiln People: https://t.ly/ORTSBThe Magicians: https://t.ly/NEmUOMaking Money: https://t.ly/E7eGbThe Mote in God’s Eye: https://t.ly/xnd-ePandora’s Star: https://t.ly/RVcwNPermutation City: https://t.ly/7uVEAThe Prefect (Aurora Rising): https://t.ly/HqByNThe Reapers are the Angels: https://t.ly/KRTomRed Seas Under Red Skies: https://t.ly/jU9yKThe Scar: https://t.ly/IGzLeSnow Crash: https://t.ly/auBgEThe Xeelee Sequence: https://t.ly/z23_xV for Vendetta: https://t.ly/hkwNAWays to connect with us:Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected] Email us: [email protected] Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening 1:39 - Episode Explanation1:58 - The 2000s Countdown12:43 - Conclusion & Wrap-up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/

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• Most INCREDIBLE Fantasy & Sci-Fi Villains of the 1990s!

  From the rise of grimdark to the explosion of cyberpunk and the rebirth of epic fantasy, the 1990s delivered some of the greatest villains speculative fiction has ever produced. In this episode, Jim walks you through a decade-long villain tour, spotlighting the most iconic antagonists in fantasy and science fiction—one of each for every year from 1990 to 1999.Who dominated the decade?Who terrified readers?Who changed their genres forever?And which villains still cast a shadow today?We cover everything from the Dark One to Randall Flagg, Pryrates to Regal — and SO many more.Join Jim for this nostalgic and wickedly fun countdown through the antagonists that defined a generation of speculative fiction fans!👇 Support the Channel & Join Our Community!✨ Patreon — help us grow and unlock special perks: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges✨ Like, Subscribe & Ring the Bell✨ Leave a comment with YOUR favorite villain of the 1990s!👉 #FantasyForTheAges #Villains #SFF #FantasyBooks #SciFiBooks #BookTube #WheelOfTime #DarkTower #ASOIAF #Cyberpunk #BlackCompany #EpicFantasy #1990sWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?Babylon 5: https://t.ly/8waVWThe Deed of Paksenarrion: https://t.ly/UvDzOA Deepness in the Sky: https://t.ly/A62tbThe Dragon Reborn: https://t.ly/AHv1vThe Dragonbone Chair: https://t.ly/p02xZThe Eye of the World: https://t.ly/V-eqmFarseer Trilogy: https://t.ly/9BIPBFatherland: https://t.ly/SvIDRA Fire Upon the Deep: https://t.ly/zAcYyA Game of Thrones: https://t.ly/o7bq0Forgotten Realms: https://t.ly/Csz96Holy Fire: https://t.ly/jJmLrIdoru: https://t.ly/gRnB3Jurassic Park: https://t.ly/S9O7eLord of Chaos: https://t.ly/kK-LbMemory, Sorrow, & Thorn Trilogy: https://t.ly/zw91mNeuromancer: https://t.ly/lN79ISnow Crash: https://t.ly/auBgEThe Stand: https://t.ly/UG_4mStarship Troopers: https://t.ly/dsq75Water Sleeps: https://t.ly/KlSOaThe Wheel of Time: https://t.ly/vmGYtWays to connect with us:Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected] Email us: [email protected] Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening 1:42 - Episode Explanation2:35 - The 1990s Countdown10:55 - Conclusion & Wrap-up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/

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