Monthly Group Reads: Reading the Poll Losers Instead?

[Darcy]

Terri wrote: "I forgot to ask you the other day. Did you find out what studies they use The Eagle and the Raven for?"

The librarian wasn't absolutely certain, but she was pretty sure it was for a Canadian Lit. course.

[Portia]

Jaq and Derek, I have Iscariot and would enjoy reading it with both of you and anyone else who is interested.

[[deleted user]]

Portia wrote: "Jaq and Derek, I have Iscariot and would enjoy reading it with both of you and anyone else who is interested."

I ordered it yesterday, so I'll be reading it for sure.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

My library has two copies of Iscariot. I need to double check, but the other day they were both available. I'll reserve one closer to March.
(with the hopes of reading it end of March)

[Portia]

OK, we are four. For now :)

[Allison]

Oh my gosh!! My library actually friggin' has it. Holy Toledo! (this is a big moment for me lol) I'm so in for the (group) buddy read.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Great! :-)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

No, not for me. I'll be starting at the end of the month after I finish the two group reads.

If you all are going to start March 1, I may try and get it read before March 1.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

If it had won the group read poll, I was going to post one of these two videos for the book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oot5bI...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5AcfX...

[Portia]

Wonder if Judas' bones are under some car park in Israel ?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

haha! yes, maybe! :D

[Allison]

Jaq wrote: "I should check my library, but Amazon marketplace has a used hardcover for £2.47... oh screw it, *Clicks* March 1st start good for everyone?"

I'd also like the end of the month if that's agreeable? I have quite a few library books going at the moment and I just renewed them thru the beginning of march. After that, I would have been looking for new books anyways :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I checked my library and they only had one copy (two copies but that copy is large print..yuck).
It is out until 24 February. So it may not have been back in time for me to read before march 1 anyway.

I'll read late March with you Allie. :)

[Allison]

Its a deal! Don't expect earth shattering insights from me though....I tend to either love a book or hate it and that's really it. Kinda why I'm afraid to buddy read with all my other groups, even though everyone else signs up with enthusiasm is because I dont want anyone saying "ugh, I had the worst buddy reader this month, she's rubbish" lol.

Thats funny about about it being large print. I hate those too. It just feels different, like they cut out a part of the story and just made the print bigger so we wouldn't realize it. I have a feeling the copy at the library's going to be LP because it was ominously without details...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Don't expect it from me either. :) I tend to talk more about books in the actual group read discussions. This being a buddy read, who knows. I may be inspired to share thoughts, or i may be silent to the end too. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Jaq wrote: "Terri wrote: "No, not for me. I'll be starting at the end of the month after I finish the two group reads.

If you all are going to start March 1, I may try and get it read before March 1."

I'm ha..."

Nah, that Hunchback is a contemporary Classic. As in, definitely not historical fiction because it was written in the same time frame as the author was writing it.

[Allison]

Jaq - again, if my library has it (my library is not at all stocked :( I would read Hunchback with you. We can discuss it thru PMing. But it wouldn't be until sometime in March because my February books are all planned out for group challenges.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

You guys are welcome to find the right era thread to buddy read Hunchback. Not hf enough for a group read poll but classics set in history are still up for discussion in the era threads. :-)
Others may join your discussion.

[Allison]

Great :) just let me know a little in advance (if you can) so I can scrounge up a copy!

[Matt]

I will also read Iscariot, if my library has it by the time the read starts. It's due back this week, so keeping my fingers crossed that the person who currently has it checked out is better at getting it back in time than I am.

[Allison]

Jaq wrote: "I got mine for a penny on Amazon marketplace."

No way! :)

[Allison]

Matthew wrote: "I will also read Iscariot, if my library has it by the time the read starts. It's due back this week, so keeping my fingers crossed that the person who currently has it checked out is better at ge..."

Awesome. The more the merrier :)

[Portia]

When does the read start again?

[Allison]

I think sometime at the end of march?

[Darcy]

You can read it at any time though, but I think many are doing it at the end of March. I'll be reading it, but I'll start probably early, but finish it late in the month

[Lia]

I am about to start Iscariot. An Inter Library Loan, so it gets bumped up to the top of my reading list.

, Tosca Lee.

[[deleted user]]

Lia wrote: "I am about to start Iscariot. An Inter Library Loan, so it gets bumped up to the top of my reading list.

, Tosca Lee."

That one's next on my list, Lia. I'll be starting it sometime next week.

[Allison]

Mine too. Library has it on hold and I'm next :)

[[deleted user]]

That's good news, Allie. Losers unite!

[Allison]

I prefer to think of us as "much cooler than the regular monthly book readers" hahaha. Rooting for the underdog is always much more interesting :)

[Lia]

I started to doubt if I'll continue to categorize Iscariot as a Historical Fiction book. I like the story so far, but some of the miracles mentioned in this book cannot be rationalized.

On the other hand, when I was able to rationalize some of these miracles, I ended up thinking like a heretic. :)

[[deleted user]]

Lia wrote: "I started to doubt if I'll continue to categorize Iscariot as a Historical Fiction book. I like the story so far, but some of the miracles mentioned in this book cannot be rationali..."

Hahaha! :D

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Lia wrote: "I started to doubt if I'll continue to categorize Iscariot as a Historical Fiction book. I like the story so far, but some of the miracles mentioned in this book cannot be rationali..."


hmm. That doesn't sound good.

At least we'll be able to say such things in our reviews (whether they be long winded or brief ones). To help other HF readers work out if the book can be rationalised or not.

I'll be starting at the end of the month.

[[deleted user]]

I'm about half way through Iscariot, and I have mixed feelings so far. I think the writing is good, and the story is interesting, BUT (view spoiler)[I sure do wish the biblical miracles would have been left out of this book. I guess I should have expected it, but for a non-believer such as myself, it's kinda annoying. This may end up categorized as historical fantasy by me. Still, I think it's worth reading so far. (hide spoiler)]

[Portia]

Is it better than Heresy?

[[deleted user]]

I haven't read Heresy, so I can't say. I think it's good so far. There's just one thing that bugs me about it, but that one thing is hard for me to overlook.

[Portia]

Can you tell us what that one thing is, or would that cause a Spoil?

[[deleted user]]

Some might consider it a spoiler. If you want to know, read my spoiler, but don't get mad at me for spoiling it. ;)

[Portia]

Naw, I'll wait. ^^)

[Lia]

I am moving Iscariot to Historical Fantasy shelf. It was good (4 Star from me).

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Disappointed it is more fantasy than reality. :\
I'll still try it later this month, but I suspect I won't last long with it if it cannot be rationalised.

[Allison]

After reading Derek's comments and the fantasy aspect of it, I'm no longer excited either. Still waiting for it from library though.

[Andy]

Looks like ive struck out this month too, esp as I jus LOVE heresy with it's butch hero character.... lol

[Lia]

It did make me reexamine some of the miracles mentioned and put it in perfective of present day observer. For example; (view spoiler)[The Leper, The Blind, and The Lame. These miracles reminded me of the Traveling Preachers with their actors that we have often seen in the movies. If this was the case that Judas witnessed, what that made me think of Jesus? What if Jesus really planted those 'sick peoples' among the gathering crowds? Was he a "con artist"? (hide spoiler)]

This book is "dangerous" to some extent because it could enhance skepticism and made Judas less evil than what the bible said. If this was the real Judas, I did not hesitate to be his friend.

, Iscariot, by Tosca Lee

[[deleted user]]

Very good questions, Lia. If I had looked at it like that, I might have been able to finish the book. I agree about Judas. I didn't read the last 100 pages, but I did like Judas.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Andy wrote: "Looks like ive struck out this month too, esp as I jus LOVE heresy with it's butch hero character.... lol"

*titter*

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Lia and Derek are right. Iscariot is fantasy.
What a HUGE disappointment. this author had the chance to write something for everyone, irrespective of religion, but instead she wrote a book for those who believe in the supernatural Jesus Christ.

She should have kept it straight. To give the reader an idea of how this story could have played out with the religious miracles etc given a rational description. that way the reader can make of the miracles what they want.

[Allison]

Oh great. Another review bites the dust. I'm not even going to crack it open then.... too many other books to get thru.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Here be my review of Iscariot. :)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lia]

My review of Leo Africanus, Amin Maalouf;

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...