Books of the Month October 2013 - Elantris and Ready Player One

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

The winners for October's BotM are as follows:
- FANTASY: Elantris
- SCI-FI: Ready Player One

As they came second in the polls, Stormdancer and On Basilisk Station will automatically be entered next month.

Book discussion may start at ANY point during the month. There will also be 'overall' discussion threads as more members finish the books.

[Sinead]

Great - thanks Rinn.

[Rob]

Elantris is available in a Graphic Audio Edition in case anyone is interested.

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

A graphic audio edition?

[Freya, Dragon Rider]

Oh this is very exciting! I am definitely reading both :)

[Paul]

I am picking up Elantris up from the library tomorrow. I have read Ready Player One earlier this year, but will join in the discussion as and when

[Rob]

Rinn wrote: "A graphic audio edition?"

yes rinn Elantris, Part 1 of 3Elantris, Part 2 of 3Elantris, Part 3 of 3

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Oooh I see, a full cast - that's cool =D

[Shannon]

Wish I could join in on Ready Player One but unfortunately I was born in 1993 and don't particularly get much of the 80s nerd culture references I've heard about it having :/

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

I was born in 1990 and had no problems (mostly), and honestly I'll think you'll get a lot of them because many of them still work now =)

[Nara]

I actually haven't read any Sanderson before, so I'm quite excited to read Elantris :D

[Jim]

Put in a request for both books today at my city library. Should have both in a few days. Fortunately they share books with five other small libraries and one of them will usually have almost anything. Mine carried it in Teen Fiction but it was checked out. Do those who have read this think this could be classified teen fiction? (Ready Player One)

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Not really... too many pop culture references for the younger teens (13-15 or so). I bet they just put it in that section because it's about video games!

[Freya, Dragon Rider]

Hehe I love when people don't check a book's content or blurb for where it should be shelved. I can't remember what the book was, but it was very much an adult book and shelved in the children's section because it contained magic or something like that - I think it was a charity shop :D

What would you rate it Rinn?

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Genre wise or star wise?

[Freya, Dragon Rider]

Age-wise :)

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Ah! Adult, I guess =)

[Ryan]

Ready Player One was in my libraries Adult Fiction section. The writing isn't beyond middle / high school students, though the 80's references may be. However, the MMORPG theme should be enough to young adults to get into it, and perhaps dive into 80's pop culture in the process!

Elantris on the other hand is not in one of the 54 branches of my library! Only two of the branches have an audiobook copy. That's a bit annoying.

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Oh really? That's crazy! =o Maybe keep an eye out for a second hand copy if you don't want to buy one brand new?

[Shannon]

That sucks Ryan. :< I found my copy on chance a couple months ago in a used book store, so when I saw Rinn suggest it I was really happy. I don't know if I'll get a chance to read it this month because of events and midterms, but I'm going to get to Elantris ASAP. :D

[Lucy]

My copy of Elantris came in the post today! It was in all the local libraries here actually but I couldn't be bothered to wait for my new library card to come through :p

[Mpauli, Bitten by a radioactive book]

Lucy wrote: "My copy of Elantris came in the post today! It was in all the local libraries here actually but I couldn't be bothered to wait for my new library card to come through :p"

That's the spirit! :)

[Ryan]

I found Elantris in a university library finally. Not my universities of course, their library is stocked with nothing but academic journals, but the neighboring university that I happen to work for.

...which is good because I'm a handful pages from finishing Ready Player One. It sort of consumed me and I read it for the better part of my day off yesterday!

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Yay! =D Glad to hear that.

Ready Player One is definitely a book to be devoured in one sitting if possible =)

[Kirsty, Jedi Master]

Amazing! I'm so looking forward to getting to Ready Player One... must consume Steelheart first though. I read Elantris a while back, and I loved it! Hope everyone enjoys this months picks!

[Paul]

I was lucky enough to get a review copy of Steelheart, really enjoyed it. Thought Ready Player one was good with an original story line

[Freya, Dragon Rider]

I have actually been calling up and visiting charity shops (and getting distracted by other goodies) but no luck! Looks like I'm going to have to use Amazon! I'm currently trying to power through Fool's Fate so I can get started on the BotMs! :)

[Sinead]

Have just started Elantris and enjoying it already!! Sanderson always seems to have a different way of thinking.

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

Freya wrote: "I have actually been calling up and visiting charity shops (and getting distracted by other goodies) but no luck! Looks like I'm going to have to use Amazon! I'm currently trying to power through F..."

Checked out the awesome shops on Park St?

[Freya, Dragon Rider]

Ahaha it's a bit of a walk after work! Hence why I even called the charity shop nearest to me, though I pop into the one on the way back... I think that tomorrow I shall try and trek it, so I won't bring any extra things to lug back with me. Honestly I swelter outside at the moment and then freeze indoors... I think there is something wrong with me! :D

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

I don't know if anyone has started this one yet but I won't be able to for a little while... got too much to read for events at the mo!

[Kirsty, Jedi Master]

I haven't started either yet... Still working my way through Steelheart!

[Freya, Dragon Rider]

I scoured about 5 charity shops or more and none of them had any! But I am going hunting again this Saturday and only then if I can't find them I shall order on amazon. I swear that in the past few months I've seen both of them in charity shops... it's typical that now I want to get them they are all in hiding! :O

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

I have both books from the library now. I have started Ready Player One. Very few pages in, but interesting premise.

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Finished Ready Player One and I loved it. Very original, creative book. Yes, lots of 80's references, but it was a pretty damn original and creative story. I had a ball reading this.

I've started Elantris, which so far isn't impressing me anywhere near as much.

[Leslie]

I picked up Ready Player One at the library today but have a couple of books to finish first.

[Sinead]

Finished Elantris which I really enjoyed. Have become a fan of Sanderson. Just started Ready Player One. Seems a little slow but very early days yet!

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

I am now about halfway through Elantris, and it's picked up a good bit. I'm really liking Sarene a lot, but I'm finding Raoden a bit too perfect. Overall enjoying the book.

[Jim]

Finished Elantris, there were ideas in this book I really liked but there were parts I found tiring. Near the end I sort of knew what was going to happen and found myself almost skimming. At the same time there were ideas and characters that could have been expanded. If there are going to be more books that may explain it. I really liked some of the characters but there is something about this book that left me less than satisfied, though I am having trouble explaining it even to myself. Just started Ready Player One and so far enjoying it. Having lived through the eighties I am so far getting all the references. Takes me back to playing the first Atari console on a black and white TV in my best friend's basement.

[Rinn, (Retired mod) Captain of the SSV Normandy]

If you want to discuss the books, please use the discussion threads rather than this one!

I'll close this one now =)