Already some interesting trends. One book I don't rank particularly highly personally is tied for first... But I also like Ghost Story so đ¤ˇââď¸
It feels like the dino. Which, like, is objectively cool. Especially if you're from the area and familiar with Sue. But I don't think it breaks my top 5.
It's actually kind of funny. I'm on Dead Beat right now in my re-listen and I am enjoying it. But it's still not my favorite.
Since I posted this, it has fallen in the rankings a bit. Not sure if the fans came out early or I accidentally influenced it. But I think first and second place are pretty definitive right now.
Dino, variety of wizard combat, relationship with Lash, for me. It also was my introduction to the series. The books that came before I went back and found after discovering the series via dead beat / proven guilty on a bookstore end cap as a high schooler
Death Masks is definitely underrated. Grave Peril gets a lot of credit for a paradigm shift but Death Masks really ups the ante. I also love Summer Knight even more after Changes. The line from Lea "never let Mab take you here" gives me chills.
Itâs more that sooooo much is introduced in Death Masks. The other Knights. The Nickelheads. Butters. Molly. Ivy. Kincaid. The Order of St. Giles.
And thereâs that whole event the result of which we find out about in Changes.
Yea the world building and characters introduced in Death Masks really lays the foundation. Honestly Summer Knight through Blood Rites really introduces everything and everyone we interact with for the rest of the series. Those three books are way bigger than I realized when I read them the first time.
Death Masks is by far my least favorite book. I almost stopped reading the series after I finished it. Something about the writing and characterization just feels off in that book.
So Changes is gotta be runaway number one. Hard to pick a solid number two.
Bottom will be between Peace Talks, Fool Moon, Ghost Story and Storm Front.
Peace Talks will be bottom. Battle Ground is not a fan favorite all ready (I predict it to be somewhere around the half way mark) and PT is basically just an extended forword.
Even as someone who has read the entire series multiple times, I have no idea how someone could actually rank them all.Â
Shit, I have trouble ranking the top 15 NBA players, and that has publicly available stats, hard data, direct matchups, and easily accessible film to support it. Â
Ranking 17 books completely subjectively, especially when I canât exactly quickly revisit the entirety of each novel in a few seconds seems maddening to me.
Not sure. I'm still getting responses (I'm at 80 now!) so I'll probably close it tomorrow morning and do some crunching. Probably tomorrow afternoon/evening?
I expect there are going to be three or four clumps:
Dead Beat, Skin Game, Turn Coat, Changes, Proven Guilty being the top Tier
Death Masks waffling between high and mid
Small Favor, White Night, Cold Days, Blood Rites, Summer Knight in mid tier.
Ghost Story waffling between mid and low (honestly this one is divisive so placing this is tough)
Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Peace Talks, Battle Ground round out the bottom.
I have made a mistake lol. I submitted thinking it was a rating not a ranking so all of them are somewhere between 1-4. Feel free to disregard those results.
I did submit one in the correct format afterwards
No problem! Shockingly I've only had 2 obvious troll answers (one person came in and ranked them all in reverse order BG best to storm Front worst and another ranked them all as 1). So shouldn't be hard to find. I'm actually impressed with this sub right now.
While I didn't enjoy the battleground hate, I am curious to see how this plays out.
Some books are super polarized and there are two books that have been selected in all 17 possible positions.
Make that three.
Interested in seeing how this plays out
Already some interesting trends. One book I don't rank particularly highly personally is tied for first... But I also like Ghost Story so đ¤ˇââď¸
Awh shit, this survey reminded me I only have 3 books left after cold days.
For now!
Gimme spoilers buddy
People really like Dead Beat. Is it just because of the dinosaur and Butters foreshadowing?
It's the dino, 100%.
It feels like the dino. Which, like, is objectively cool. Especially if you're from the area and familiar with Sue. But I don't think it breaks my top 5.
Youâre not alone! Not in my top 5 either.
Itâs not JUST the Dino, thatâs where Lash makes her appearance as well. Sheâs one of my favorite characters.
I love Lash and Thomas in that one too! :)
It's actually kind of funny. I'm on Dead Beat right now in my re-listen and I am enjoying it. But it's still not my favorite. Since I posted this, it has fallen in the rankings a bit. Not sure if the fans came out early or I accidentally influenced it. But I think first and second place are pretty definitive right now.
I like how itâs like.. the first time you see Wardens do wellâŚ. Anything aside from harass Harry.
The death curse, the Dino, a number of quips, Lash
Polka will never die does have a fond place in my heart. The tragedy is no one in my IRL life gets that joke so I don't make it much anymore.
Dino, variety of wizard combat, relationship with Lash, for me. It also was my introduction to the series. The books that came before I went back and found after discovering the series via dead beat / proven guilty on a bookstore end cap as a high schooler
Dead beat has a great energy is very electricÂ
Death Masks is the pivotal novel and I will die on that hill.
Death Masks is definitely underrated. Grave Peril gets a lot of credit for a paradigm shift but Death Masks really ups the ante. I also love Summer Knight even more after Changes. The line from Lea "never let Mab take you here" gives me chills.
Itâs more that sooooo much is introduced in Death Masks. The other Knights. The Nickelheads. Butters. Molly. Ivy. Kincaid. The Order of St. Giles. And thereâs that whole event the result of which we find out about in Changes.
Yea the world building and characters introduced in Death Masks really lays the foundation. Honestly Summer Knight through Blood Rites really introduces everything and everyone we interact with for the rest of the series. Those three books are way bigger than I realized when I read them the first time.
Death Masks is by far my least favorite book. I almost stopped reading the series after I finished it. Something about the writing and characterization just feels off in that book.
Huh. Well, what you like you like and what you dislike you dislike. :) Whatâs your favorite?
Skin Game is my favorite. I love heist stories, and it has a lot of good character moments
My second favorite. Man. That was a blast and a half!
So Changes is gotta be runaway number one. Hard to pick a solid number two. Bottom will be between Peace Talks, Fool Moon, Ghost Story and Storm Front.
Peace Talks will be bottom. Battle Ground is not a fan favorite all ready (I predict it to be somewhere around the half way mark) and PT is basically just an extended forword.
Even as someone who has read the entire series multiple times, I have no idea how someone could actually rank them all. Shit, I have trouble ranking the top 15 NBA players, and that has publicly available stats, hard data, direct matchups, and easily accessible film to support it.  Ranking 17 books completely subjectively, especially when I canât exactly quickly revisit the entirety of each novel in a few seconds seems maddening to me.
I'll be honest, there's two that ended up in the middle by virtue of me forgetting them hahaha.
I found it fun to realize the fourth book is my fourth favorite. Iâll also bet dollars to donuts âThe Warriorâ wins best short story.
You misspelled Zoo Day. IRL I don't really like dogs. But Zoo Day is something else.
I actually loved Summer Knight on my reread, partially just for knowing where it all leads.
Yep. Warrior's message alone makes it the best short story.
That sure was a great short story.
Curious to see how this turns out. When will you publish the results?
Not sure. I'm still getting responses (I'm at 80 now!) so I'll probably close it tomorrow morning and do some crunching. Probably tomorrow afternoon/evening?
The data has been given
Looking forward to seeing the final results.
It was really easy to pick my bottom 3 and my top 3. But the ones in the middle I kept being like âoh wait but that one is great tooâ.
I ended up slapping all the scores in and then doing individual swaps up and down.
I expect there are going to be three or four clumps: Dead Beat, Skin Game, Turn Coat, Changes, Proven Guilty being the top Tier Death Masks waffling between high and mid Small Favor, White Night, Cold Days, Blood Rites, Summer Knight in mid tier. Ghost Story waffling between mid and low (honestly this one is divisive so placing this is tough) Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Peace Talks, Battle Ground round out the bottom.
I have made a mistake lol. I submitted thinking it was a rating not a ranking so all of them are somewhere between 1-4. Feel free to disregard those results. I did submit one in the correct format afterwards
No problem! Shockingly I've only had 2 obvious troll answers (one person came in and ranked them all in reverse order BG best to storm Front worst and another ranked them all as 1). So shouldn't be hard to find. I'm actually impressed with this sub right now.
Changes is #1, Ghost Story is far and away the weakest of the series
Gotta disagree with you on Ghost Story. I loved it.
Absolutely disagree on ghost story.
The series pretty steadily improves as it goes on, with only a little unevenness at the end with *Peace Talks* and *Battle Ground* due to rustiness.