Chiz's Top 5 Reads of 2025

This ended up being a fairly underwhelming year for my reading (quantity-wise, not quality). I finished 22 books total—20 new reads and 2 rereads. I didn’t spend nearly as much time in the indie space as I’d hoped. Only about a quarter of what I read came from indie authors. But it was a strong year for fiction, and I had the pleasure of reading some incredible works. As such, I, of course, want to give shoutouts to those I enjoyed the most. Here's Chiz's top 5 reads of 2025! Keep in mind, these are not necessarily books that were released this year, just books that I read this year.

5. Carl's Doomsday Scenario: Dungeon Crawler Carl Book II by Matt Dinniman

   I’m sure you’ve heard of this popular series by now, and, like many others, I went in skeptical of all the hype. I must admit: these books are just plain fun. As someone slowly being absorbed into the abyss that is Dungeons & Dragons, the references aren't lost on me. And as a Millennial, I’m still close enough to the pop-culture blast radius to catch most of the jokes. Book II earns its spot on the list largely by default: I’m currently partway through Book IV, and while Book III was thoroughly enjoyable, its setting felt a bit underwhelming compared to the earlier installments.

4. Wind and Truth: Book Five of The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

   I wanted to place this book higher, but to me, Books 4 and 5 just didn't have the same impact on me as the first three books of this series. That said, this novel still delivers an incredible mid-series climax and conclusion. I couldn't be more pleased with the direction he took with one of the antagonists in Book 4, but Book 5 is superb at upping the stakes, landing it its spot on the list. I can't wait to see what Sanderson has in store for the remainder of The Stormlight Archive.

3. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

   Piranesi is a dream-like and intensely atmospheric tale that takes place in a vast, labyrinthine house. The prose was mesmerizing, that, even though the plot is less intricate than I initially expected, it hardly matters. What Susanna Clarke did with so limited a cast and a restrained narrative was awe-inspiring, and I knew after reading the first few pages this book would end up on my list for top books of the year.

2. The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

   I was unfamiliar with Joe Abercrombie's game but for one short story I read of his ages back. This book had me audibly chucking, which is a difficult feat for a book to achieve. Though, I can likely attribute that to the delivery of the audiobook narrator who was masterful with his accents. While the plot was somewhat predictable and not overly complicated, this book—what I described to friends as "fantasy Suicide Squad"—felt like sitting at a table with friends, having a few drinks, and playing a hilarious Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

1. Mirror's Brink: The Collected Histories of Neoevolution Earth Volume 4 by E. S. Fein

   I am so glad I could reserve the number 1 spot for an indie author without it feeling like charity. I keep hoping Fein gets the recognition he deserves. Despite having read so many experimental and unique stories this year, nothing has held a candle to the atmosphere this series weaves. This entry, in particular, expands the implications of the character's choices and their effects on not just the world but on a universal scale. Never would I have thought a book so steeped in dread would be this relentlessly entertaining.

As always, these were difficult choices to make, so I thought I'd give a little shoutout to this books I struggled to leave off the top 5 list:

• The Past is Red by Catherynne M. Valente

• Of the Noble and Great Ones, by H.D. Logic

• Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

• Miss Win: Tales of Intrigue and Deception by Rosemary Mairs

Happy New Year!