The Tolkien Day Tradition 2025

Besides an excuse to read a work of J.R.R. Tolkien every year, this little “tradition” came about due to the Goodreads annual reading challenge. While I cannot remember what my goal was back in 2024, I decided to go for a more “leisurely” goal of 15 books for 2025. That being said, I may have gone a bit overboard this year despite having a more relaxed reading pace.

Some thoughts on the books which jumped at me for 2025:

a. This year was Bible and Catechism in a Year season, with the last one being last 2022. As such I found myself reading and listening to other books by Catholic figures, namely St. Therese of Lisieux and Benedict XVI. If there is something I desperately need to actually do, it’s to actually live what Fr. Mike Schmitz keeps saying on his Catechism in a Year podcast; that reading/listening to the Catechism and the Bible is all about transformation and not merely information transfer. Simply put, true conversion. And oh how it remains a struggle as I prepare to enter another year.

b. Speaking of spiritual writers, I decided to re-read C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. Well, I only got to around Prince Caspian but I hope to continue with it for 2026. Though if I’m being honest, I cannot help but feel a little disappointed with Lewis’s writing. I thoroughly enjoyed his more philosophical works, but Narnia just isn’t jiving with me. I don’t hate Narnia, and I want to enjoy the books. However one gets the feeling that I am not the preferred audience for this series.

c. I went on a Brandon Sanderson marathon last year with Mistborn Era 1, the first two Stormlight Archive novels, and some of his shorter works in preparation for Wind and Truth. However as reviews started coming, I have to admit that I started to feel discouraged in continuing reading his Cosmere novels. Still, I thought the Mistborn Era 2 books were enjoyable reads. One that surprised me though was The Emperor’s Soul. It was probably his most “philosophical” book that I have read so far, and was quite moving at times.

d. I only got to read one volume of Berserk this year. See the volume that I read and you’ll understand why. Hehe. Though on a similar topic, I stumbled upon Goblin Slayer this year and thought, “Wow, this series had such wild shifts in tone”, followed by “Wow, this is like ‘Baby’s First Berserk’ in terms of the violence and depravity.” I get how first time readers can get turned off by the very first volume, but considering I was able to soldier on with Berserk, especially with the Wyald chapters and the Eclipse, I feel like I just want to pat Goblin Slayer on the head and say, “Of course you’re an edgy manga now”.

e. Yes you will see The Fires of Heaven here. I guess I am a masochist just waiting for women to make misandrist comments at how I am stupid for being a man. This series had better have a payoff to shame all other payoffs.

f. I have actually never read the entirety of Hamlet and King Lear before as I have only seen the recorded performances of both plays. King Lear was the first actual Shakespearean play I read back in highschool (I believe you can see where this is coming) and for a while its bleak ending resonated well with me. Reading it for the first time in its entirety and I… well, it was okay I guess. As for Hamlet, I have seen Kenneth Branagh’s and Mel Gibson’s adaptations and, I have to admit that reading the play was a far more enriching experience as the filmed adaptations tend to be over the top, especially Branagh’s take on the play. Overall, I really enjoyed Hamlet.

g. Lastly, I feel the need to re-read Tolkien’s On Fairy-Stories again as I feel that there are a lot more information within its pages that have to be carefully unpacked. So much so that I am partially entertaining ill-advised thoughts of pursuing my long delayed PhD on Literature.

Sorry that was a mouthful. Here’s my accomplished reading/listening list for 2025. May you have a wonderful 2026, and Happy Tolkien Day!

1. Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
2. Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux
3. Deus Caritas Est by Benedict XVI
4. Berserk Vol. 13 by Kentaro Miura
5. 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric H. Cline
6. The Odyssey of Homer
7. The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson
8. Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson
9. The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson
10. A Girl on the Shore by Inio Asano
11. The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson
12. The Oedipus Cycle of Sophocles
13. Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb, Time Sale, and Bjarne Hansen
14. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
15. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
16. The Holy Bible
17. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
18. Goblin Slayer Vol. 1-3
19. On Fairy-Stories by J.R.R. Tolkien
20. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan
21. The Gods of Pegana by Lord Dunsany
22. The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany
23. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
24. King Lear by William Shakespeare

The Tolkien Day “Tradition”

This Tolkien Day “tradition” turned from honoring Tolkien’s literary legacy to a full blown “books I’ve read the previous year” list. I may have gone a bit overboard with quantity rather than quality for 2024, but in this sea of books I’ve read and listened to, I’ve come to a few realizations:

a. No one can top Tolkien’s mastery of language. While his worldbuilding is foundational, other fantasy and sci-fi authors have gone beyond Tolkien’s constraints. This isn’t a dig at him; Tolkien was at the cutting edge at the time so credit where it’s due. But if there is something that modern fantasy authors lack, it’s the prose. Reading Tolkien’s prose reminded me of why I enjoyed reading Romeo and Juliet a lot back in the day. Tolkien’s mastery of English helped in conveying the playfulness, despair, melancholy, ane hope in his legendarium.

b. I do not like Robert Jordan. While I thought that first 3 books of The Wheel of Time was decent at best, the succeeding book was such a frustrating slog of misandry and aimlessness with occassional (and regretfully sparse) moments of poignant writing that I wondered “If this supposedly fan favorite book in the series is a mind numbing and frustrating read, I doubt I can get past the actual ‘slog’ books later on”. There’s only so many times I can bear a man being called a “wool-headed idiot” or reading how Nynaeve “pulled on her braids” when she’s feeling anxious. Not even the tease that Branderson Sanderson finished the series is enough to make me power through the books. And speaking of Brandon Sanderson…

c. I like his books for how unpretentious he is. Does his prose suck? Not really; it could be better but in terms of conveying exactly he wants to convey to the reader, it’s functional. Is he the best fantasy author of all time? Hell no, Tolkien is. But like J.K. Rowling at one point in my life, Brando is an excellent gateway to fantasy fiction, particularly epic fantasy. If you prefer to know how magic works in a particular fantasy work, this guy is for you.

Anyways, I’ve rambled long enough: here’s the list of books I’ve read (and listened to) for 2024. Like I said; quantity over quality. Here’s to a more meaningful 2025 to y’all. Happy New Year, and Happy Tolkien Day!

1. Nyarlathotep, The Nameless City, The Music of Erich Zann by H.P. Lovecraft 

2. The Dunwich Horror by H.P. Lovecraft 

3. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe 

4. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe 

5. The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson 

6. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson 

7. The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by Robert E. Howard 

8. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski 

9. The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski 

10. The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski 

11. The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft 

12. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft 

13. The Confessions of Saint Augustine 

14. The Shadow over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft 

15. The Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski 

16. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

17. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan 

18. Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock

19. The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan 

20. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien 

21. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien 

22. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien 

23. The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan 

24. The Bloody Crown of Conan by Robert E. Howard 

25. The Conquering Sword of Conan by Robert E. Howard 

26. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection Vol. 1 

27. Attack on Titan Vols. 2-5 by Hajime Isayama 

28. First and Only by Dan Abnett 

29. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

30. Berserk Vol. 10-12 by Kentaro Miura 

31. Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 1 by Nobuhiro Watsuki 

32. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

33. Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson 

34. The Iliad of Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald 

35. Spawn Origins Vol. 1 by Todd McFarlane

36. The Drawing Lesson by Mark Crilley

37. Edgedancer by Brandon Sanderson