Ready for a New Challenge (2013-2014) ?

[[deleted user]]

The Guardian Explains why Reading Challenges are Bad for You.

[[deleted user]]

For those who signed up for our 3-month SF&F 2014 Historic Challenge , a reminder that there are only 2 weeks left in this Challenge!

Remember that books only count towards your Challenge goal if you place them on the bookshelf you named when you sign up for the challenge!

[Karen]

I'm struggling to pick a final book for the Historic Challenge. So far I have read 1984 and I am currently reading The Humanoids. I was hoping to round off my goal of three with something more on the Fantasy side. It would have to be something I can get as an ebook (preferably for Kindle and/or iBooks) as in this part of the world I would likely have to ship in a paperback - I live in the Caribbean. Any suggestions?

[[deleted user]]

We had a discussion not too long ago, Oldies but Goodies that discussed some old-time sci-fi.

Have you read any HG Wells? You might try his The Time Machine. Like Orwell's 1984, Wells's future is really about the present.

And since its old enough to be out of Copyright, you can pick up the above as e-books at Project Guttenberg for free.

(I'd suggest Huxley's Brave New World as a companion grim dystopia to 1984, but it doesn't seem to have an e-book edition.)

[Jim]

You can find several different ebook versions of Brave New World on The Internet Archive here:
https://archive.org/details/ost-engli...

This site is great for old movies & audio files, too.

[Karen]

Thanks gentlemen!

[Matthew]

G33z3r wrote: Remember that this isn't a competition, it's a self-motivating challenge in which each member chooses their o..."

I like the way you're thinking G33z, I already try to challenge myself reading more and the idea of a competition actually turns me off.

[[deleted user]]

Our latest Group Challenge, the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Graphic Novel Challenge, is now starting:


  SF&F Graphic Novel Challenge


Picture yourself reading SF&F graphic novels. (This is a 3-month challenge, ending June 30.)

The Basics
For those who haven't participated before, our Group Challenges provide a goal you can set for yourself to read a certain number of books, according to the criteria of that Challenge. It's a SF&F-oriented complement to the Goodreads annual Reading Challenge. Because each Challenge lets you set your own goal for the number of books you want to read, it's a form of self motivation (not a competition.)

To join the Challenge, enter the number of books you plan to read for the Challenge and name a shelf you will use to keep track of the books that qualify for the Challenge. E.g., "sff-2014-graphic-novel-challenge" (if you don't already have such a shelf, joining the challenge will automagically create it for you.)

To count towards your Group Challenge, the book will need to be on your Goodreads Bookshelf, marked "read", have a "date read/finished" in the Challenge period (in this case. April 1 thru June 30) and it must be placed on the shelf you named when you signed up for the challenge.


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And while you're at it, you might consider joining one of our three other Year-long 2014 Challenges (if you're not already signed up!)



The SF&F 2014 Reading Challenge

Set yourself a goal to read Science Fiction & Fantasy books in 2014. (This is a full-year challenge for 2014.)




The SF&F 2014 Explorer Challenge

Set yourself a goal to read books by Authors you haven't read before. Stretch your comfort zone, discover new favorites. (This is a full-year challenge for 2014.)




The SF&F 2014 Awards Challenge

Set yourself a goal to read books which have won Awards, such as the Hugo, Nebula, Clarke, Campbell, BSFA, Aurora, Aurealis, Locus, PK Dick, Gemmell or World Fantasy Award. (This is a full-year challenge for 2014.)




See all our Group Challenges, past and present. Join one, join them all!

Group Challenge FAQ.

[Karen]

I'm really enjoying these challenges as a way to read things I might not get around to otherwise. I'm in on the Graphic Novel challenge, but before I set a goal I would like a little help please.

Apart from Watchmen, I haven't done too much reading in this category. I did however recently read Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile which I really enjoyed. As far as I can tell that's 5 issues of a comic collected into one volume. So for the more experienced - is there a convention about these things? Does the complete arc count as a graphic novel? Or each issue? Or neither?

I know I can set my own parameters but I am curious to understand this from the point of view of more regular readers. (Apologies in advance if my ignorance is causing me to split hairs!)

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "I know I can set my own parameters but I am curious to understand this from the point of view of more regular readers. (Apologies in advance if my ignorance is causing me to split hairs!)."


As you say, you get to make up your own rules! (Such a deal!)

For my purposes, I'm not counting individual issues. (But then, I don't read that many comic books. I did notice that a number of individual issues are listed in Goodreads, many through the issues Amazon is carrying for DC.) Personally, I'm thinking more like the complete Watchmen or one of Gaiman's Sandman books.

The same question of what you think "counts" comes up in prose. I tend to decide if a novella was a "book" depending on how it was published and how long it was. I read half a dozen SF/F magazines each month, which are rather like anthologies, but for some reason I don't include them in the Challenges (although I do track them in Goodreads.) That's just me.

In the end, I think whatever criteria works best for your personal motivation would be the right criteria!

[[deleted user]]

they call em comic BOOKS...so i guess individual issues should count...

[[deleted user]]

Reminder: our current 3-month Group Challenge, the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Graphic Novel Challenge, has only two more weeks to go!


  SF&F Graphic Novel Challenge

Remember that books only count towards your Challenge goal if you place them on the bookshelf you named when you signed up for the challenge, and have a date finished reading between April 1 – June 30, 2014.

We also have several continuing year-long SciFi & Fantasy reading challenges for any newcomers (or procrastinating veterans) who are interested.

[Karen]

I have to ask - is there a 3rd quarter challenge?

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "I have to ask - is there a 3rd quarter challenge?"

I didn't get any suggestions for the theme for a 3Q Challenge, so I took that as lack of interest.

Did you have an idea? (We could still do a 4Q Challenge, of start a challenge through the rest of the year, if there's a particular theme you'd like to propose!



And as a reminder, we do still have three continuing Year-long 2014 Challenges:


The SF&F 2014 Reading Challenge
Set yourself a goal to read Science Fiction & Fantasy books in 2014.


The SF&F 2014 Explorer Challenge
Set yourself a goal to read books by Authors you haven't read before. Stretch your comfort zone, discover new favorites.


The SF&F 2014 Awards Challenge
Set yourself a goal to read books which have won Awards, such as the Hugo, Nebula, Clarke, Campbell, BSFA, Aurora, Aurealis, Locus, PK Dick, Gemmell or World Fantasy Award.


See all our Group Challenges, past and present. Join one, join them all!

Group Challenge FAQ.

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "I have to ask - is there a 3rd quarter challenge?"

(That was a very long-winded "no" :)

[Bryan]

G33z3r wrote: "I didn't get any suggestions for the theme for a 3Q Challenge, so I took that as lack of interest."

I'm interested in these challenges (even though I failed miserably at my small graphic challenge—turns out I can find more time to read on an e-reader than on actual paper), but I don't really have any idea... maybe books from series? Or books written in the 21st century?

[[deleted user]]

Bryan wrote: "'m interested in these challenges (even though I failed miserably at my small graphic challenge—turns out I can find more time to read on an e-reader than on actual paper)..."

I was surprised to find I enjoyed our Graphic Novel Challenge. I hadn't read many comics in years, as I proved listing all the really old stuff I enjoyed when I asked for some current recommendations in graphic novels. And I got some excellent suggestions. I found a couple of fun new series to follow, Saga & Rat Queens, and a nice one-shot by Josh Whedon, Fray.)

[[deleted user]]

See all our Group Challenges, past and present.

A reminder to those who set yourself a goal in one of our Group SF/F Reading Challenges for 2014, there's only a week left to achieve you goal:

Remember that for a book to count towards your Group Challenge the book needs to be marked "read", have a "date read/finished" in 2014, and it must be placed on the shelf you named when you enrolled in the challenge.


The SF&F 2014 Reading Challenge



The SF&F 2014 Explorer Challenge

(Read books by Authors you haven't read before. Stretch your comfort zone, discover new favorites.)



The SF&F 2014 Awards Challenge

(Read books which have won SF|F Awards.)


Group Challenge FAQ.

[Aleah]

I joined the group this past year and didn't get in on any of the challenges. Looking forward to participating in 2015, though!