Judith’s Comments (group member since Apr 15, 2015)

Judith’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

DQs Day 2
Ch 4 & 5

5.) We meet the a trained battle dragon, Laetifieat, in this section. Anyone look up the meaning, or for Latin language speakers already pretty much know? What did you think of a dragon carrying all those men into battle? A bunch of men in a tent shooting rifles from a dragon seems like a questionable plan to me. I kinda wish there was a picture.

6.) Do you think Laurence will always be a stuffed shirt and a classist?

7.) Why do you think the house party was included in the story instead of Laurence just overnighting at an empty house?

8.) We got to experience Laurence’s first day at Loch Laggan. Anyone else see a bumpy transition ahead as Laurence goes from a Navy man to a Corps man?

Daily Questions: Day 1
Chapter 1-3

1. So far in the book it seems there is no magic. It is more of alternative history with dragons helping in war efforts. Did that disappoint you? Do you like that there is no magic? Personally it remainds me of Hornblower series but with dragons. Did you make any other connection?
While I read this donkey years ago and remember little about the details, I do remember it really not reading like a fantasy novel. Dragons are a creature that's bred to serve humanity (for good or evil is up for debate). I don't mind the no magic and can enjoy books that are more political intrigue and less magical sparklers.

2. One thing that bothered me was how Temeraire spoke perfect english immediately after hatching. There was no stumbeling, no learning curve. Does that mean he would have spoken perfect french if he had hatched on french ship?
Probably. Maybe there's no magical system in this world but dragons themselves always seem to be to be inherently magical. And maybe that's part of the innate magical aspects of a dragon that they can immediately communicate with their person. And Laurence is most certainly his person.

3. It is mentioned that Lawrence has a strained relationship with his father. Do you think he will be proud of his son and his efforts upon learning the news? Will he be devastated about his son's future or the lack of (in social terms)?
I honestly don't remember since it's been so long. But based on the description I have a feeling Laurence could bring about World Peace, end poverty and marry a princess and his father would be disappointed. I think he'll be upset his son can't further the family's social standing. I'm not sure he'd notice if Laurence died.

4. I liked the veriety within the dragons. It is said that they breed dragons for desired qualities which comes with its drawbacks as English have limited breeding pool. Volly for instance is fast flyer with high endurance, but not the smartest fish in the barrel. Temeraire on the other hand is bigger, slower, but intelligent and likes water. How do you think Temeraire will turn out to be: breathing fire, spit poison or something else?
Probably breath fire since Temeraire is the cat's pajamas and of course he'll be able to do something really cool. Maybe he'll shock everyone and breath ice (he does love his water!).

5. I'm assuming Laurence will have to train in Aerial Corps. Do you think he will be welcomed more warmly after standoffish and snobbish reception. Will Temeraire make friends with other dragons?
I think there will be a lot of jealous haters. And then some 'who does he think he is'. Laurence is way behind in the knowledge department. I think he said people go to the Aerial Corps at like 7 or whatever and he's a grown man. So that's a bit awkward and he's coming in with the coolest of the cool dragons. It's understandable some of this will be haters. But I'm sure Laurence will find his tribe of people. Or maybe Temeraire will eat all the rude people.

Sorry for the late entrance. I have never done this before and I don't know if I have done it correctly. I do apologize to those who will reread the book because you already know the answers. I didn't have much in general to go on.

~ You're questions were fine! I think you did great. And you weren't late. Any time on the 16th is still on time. And at least in some parts of the world it's still the 16th for several more hours!

Or we could just combine them to be Lusty Lady Lucifer

Sonia wrote: "Remind me exactly what the rules are? Books need to be read after the wheel is spin? Cause I started a black cover book today....*whistles* Sadly, there is no ghost of vampire in there... meh"

They can be started but not finished before the spin.

Also I was much entertained by y'all's thread (as always)

thanks for spinning Lexi!

I finished it during lunch and then didn't get around to spinning for a new one.

Finished Adipose. New monster

Judoon
100 to 175
MC is in law enforcement or equivalent
Stars on cover
"hospital" in text
First book in a series

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg

In her groundbreaking history of the class system in America, extending from colonial times to the present, Nancy Isenberg takes on our comforting myths about equality, uncovering the crucial legacy of the ever-present, always embarrassing––if occasionally entertaining––"poor white trash."

The wretched and landless poor have existed from the time of the earliest British colonial settlement. They were alternately known as “waste people,” “offals,” “rubbish,” “lazy lubbers,” and “crackers.” By the 1850s, the downtrodden included so-called “clay eaters” and “sandhillers,” known for prematurely aged children distinguished by their yellowish skin, ragged clothing, and listless minds.

Surveying political rhetoric and policy, popular literature and scientific theories over four hundred years, Isenberg upends assumptions about America’s supposedly class-free society––where liberty and hard work were meant to ensure real social mobility. Poor whites were central to the rise of the Republican Party in the early nineteenth century, and the Civil War itself was fought over class issues nearly as much as it was fought over slavery.

Reconstruction pitted "poor white trash" against newly freed slaves, which factored in the rise of eugenics–-a widely popular movement embraced by Theodore Roosevelt that targeted poor whites for sterilization. These poor were at the heart of New Deal reforms and LBJ’s Great Society; they haunt us in reality TV shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty. Marginalized as a class, "white trash" have always been at or near the center of major political debates over the character of the American identity.

We acknowledge racial injustice as an ugly stain on our nation’s history. With Isenberg’s landmark book, we will have to face the truth about the enduring, malevolent nature of class as well.

My current 'nominate until I read it or it wins'. If it happens to win, I'll swap it out.

The Malevolent Seven

'Seven powerful mages want to make the world a better place. We're going to kill them first.'

Picture a wizard. Go ahead, close your eyes. There he is, see? Skinny old guy with a long straggly beard. No doubt he's wearing iridescent silk robes that couldn't protect his frail body from a light breeze. The hat's a must, too, right? Big, floppy thing, covered in esoteric symbols that would instantly show every other mage where this one gets his magic? Wouldn't want a simple steel helmet or something that might, you know, protect the part of him most needed for conjuring magical forces from being bashed in with a mace (or pretty much any household object).

Now open your eyes and let me show you what a real war mage looks like . . . but be you're probably not going to like it, because we're violent, angry, dangerously broken people who sell our skills to the highest bidder and be damned to any moral or ethical considerations.

At least, until such irritating concepts as friendship and the end of the world get in the way.

My name is Cade Ombra, and though I currently make my living as a mercenary wonderist, I used to have a far more noble-sounding job title - until I discovered the people I worked for weren't quite as noble as I'd believed. Now I'm on the run and my only friend, a homicidal thunder mage, has invited me to join him on a suicide mission against the seven deadliest mages on the continent.

Time to recruit some very bad people to help us on this job . . .

I’m in for DQs! It’s been a long time since I read this and I’ve been meaning to do a reread and then continue the series

Cthulhu

450+
Two U's in author name (first or last)
A cult is important to the plot
Retelling that is in conversation with an issue in the original
Tagged tentacles at least 1

I just finished off sandworm but not in a good position to spin if someone once to have wheel fun.

Otherwise I can spin later this afternoon!

Jenny wrote: "I keep meaning to read the novellas, but I haven't done it yet. I will add it to my TBR."

some of them are certainly better than others. The Churn I'd say is one of the better ones and is Amos's back story. It explains a lot about him and why he is the way he is. And some of the characters in there pop up again.

Lexi wrote: "Also, if anyone has a book they are reading for the following tasks, we have one task left per monster:
1. Tagged sand at least 1
2. Author initials (all) in DELETE
3. 175-225 pages
4. MC has a pet"

I found one for sand on my tbr list but waiting for the hold to come in from the library in case some starts something sooner.

FYI - all of The Expanse series books are tagged sand (including most of the novellas). I know some of us are working on the series. I do recommend the novellas, they fill in interesting bits about side characters.

I've got it!

And I just finished my last book as well.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves :)

We have just about a day left in Round 5 and the challenge itself. Please let us know if there is something on the tracking sheet you won't be able to finish so we can shift books around.

Also as you finish your last book for Wheel-a-thon 2023, please post in the thread.

Thank you so much and I hope you've enjoyed this year's wheel :)

No worries, thank you 🙂

Maritza,

can you add Spicy Pickle to your wheel shelf when you get a chance?

Thank you!

Lexi wrote: "Happy Saturday, everyone.

Has anyone found any other good purple books or musician books that you think the team would like?"

I'm in the middle of the audio for The Meaning of Mariah Carey and am finding it really interesting. I knew her early life was rough but just wow. It's explaining a lot about why she is the way she is now. She reads it herself and is doing a really good job.

Most of the purple books I've read so far are later in the series of things that aren't stand alones. And a few were really bad and wouldn't recommend them to anyone, but I finished them because, points!

Judith's BOM Tracking

Day 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 4: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

DQs, Day 5 Chapters 46-end

20. Between Henry, Martha, and Opaline, whose story was most compelling for you and why?
Opaline by miles. By the end of the books I really didn't care much what happened to Martha and Henry.

21. Holy moley… Lyndon! I did NOT see that twist coming (ch 52), did you? What are your thoughts about his story?
I didn't expect it but when revealed I wasn't shocked. It did explain the huge age gap between the 'siblings' though in a time of very high infant/child mortality the gap wasn't a major clue by itself.

22. What did you make of the relationship between Opaline and Martha? If you guessed, did you get it right?
I was expecting them to be related. so not surprised there either.

23. What about Mme Bowden? Did you enjoy her resolution? If not, what other scenario would you have preferred for her?
I feel like her just poof-ing away was an easy cope out for the author almost like she could figure out a way to have Mme Bowden exit gracefully, stage left. So went with *poof*.

24. What did you make of the magical elements in the book?
They were fine and not overly woo-woo.

25. Is there anything that struck you about the plot, story, characters, etc that hasn’t been part of a discussion question over the 5 days?
Honestly whatever I'd have to say here has already been said by others. The book started stronger than it ended for sure.