Sarah's Sequential Slog of Sizeable Stories

[Sarah]

I will track my 2014 challenge here. This challenge is going to be great - I have loads of cool books I want to read but have been putting off as they are long.

✔ = Completed
# = Currently Reading
★ = Star Rating

[Sarah]

Brian is a Slick Slug (1-6)


✔1. Night Film by Marisha Pessl 602pgs Author born in the '70s READ 08/01
✔2. Perdido Street Station by China Miéville 867 pgs British Author READ 18/01
✔3. American Gods by Neil Gaiman 583 pgs God created Life (apparently)! READ 07/04
✔4. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson 544pgs All main words in title start with L READ 12/02
✔5. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch 544 pgs Author's first book READ 13/03
✔6. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker Kindle version is 819pgs New to me Author READ 24/03

[Sarah]

Shoulda been Mortimer Mouse's Marchers (7-12) - but I'm biased ;-) (Mortimer was Disney's original name for Mickey)


✔7 The Help by Kathryn Stockett 544pgs Author born in '60s READ 26/04
✔8 The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 531pgs Angels have wings and wings on cover READ 11/05
✔9 Allegiant by Veronica Roth 544 pgs Last book in a trilogy READ 26/04
✔10 Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor 528pgs Has characters which have wings and are able to fly READ 22/04
✔11 Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff 618pgs Character on front cover is holding a weapon READ 02/05
✔12 The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett 597pgs War/Battles READ 30/05

[Sarah]

Roadrunner's Racers (13-18)



✔13 Age of Iron by Angus Watson 560pgs Fantasy Genre READ 06/08
✔14 Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch Boats READ 18/07
✔15 The Scar by China Miéville 578pgs Science Fiction Genre READ 29/07
✔16 Shift Omnibus Edition (Silo, #2) by Hugh Howey 608pgs Set in a Dystopian/ Post-Apocalyptic World READ
✔17 Swan Song 956pgs Horror Genre READ
✔18 Ghost Story by Peter Straub 522pgs Straub co-wrote a book with Stephen King READ 18/10

[Sarah]

Tasmanian Devil's Trouncers (19-24)

[Sarah]

Buzz Lightyear's Bombers (25-"To infinity and beyond")

[Almeta]

Good start. You are much more creative with your connections. I may steal your ideas!

[Sarah]

Almeta wrote: "Good start. You are much more creative with your connections. I may steal your ideas!"

I had to get creative - not many of my books would have linked with just using author names or words in the title. Steal away!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Ooo Award winners. Didn't think of that one.

[Peggy]

Wow Sarah, 12 books set out already! Great linking :D

[Sarah]

Thanks Peggy. Just had to rejig a few already as realised that American Gods is over 500 pages alone so don't need to read it with Ender's Game for it to qualify which meant I then had to rethink the link to the Scott Lynch Book. I don't doubt that there will be more rejigging to come!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Got one. American Gods and Locke Lamora were both "World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel"

[Sarah]

Rusalka wrote: "Got one. American Gods and Locke Lamora were both "World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel""

Nice one Rusalka! I like it!

[Travis]

Good selection on fantasy picks I think I read or tbr all of them already

[Lisa]

I am liking your list so far Sarah! Some great links too!

[Janice, Moderator]

Great start! I like how you've linked them and the choice of books.

[Sarah]

Yes it is looking a lot like a Fantasy-fest so far! This challenge is going to be great! I've been putting off loads of longer books in order to get my other ones read but this will give me the opportunity to read all those fantasy books which have been on my shelf and kindle for ages.

[Sarah]

If I like the first in the series of the books I've chosen, I may well read the rest of the series one after the other which might mean me having to rejig things but at least they'll still connect as they will be the same author!

[Cherie]

hahahaha, Sarah, I think if I wait long enough, you and a few others will create all of the links for me.
I have the 1st 3 books you have already listed in your Slick post above on my TBR list. We could read them together. :)

[Sarah]

You are so right Cherie. Feel free to use the same links/books as me. If you do go for those first three, then it would also be good to read along together. I wonder how many buddy reads will take place during the challenge - I think they help with the larger books!

[Cherie]

I am sure they do, Sarah. I haven't started reviewing my lists yet, although sorting them by page number will be easy, since I have page numbers indicated on my TBR list. I really need to focus on my current challenges for this year before I get too carried away looking forward.

[Esther]

Our list will be close. I will have the second mieville and the 2nd Lynch in my pile. Tne 1st Brett is just under 500 page unfortunately. Silo #2 may make it too.

[Janice, Moderator]

There may be a few buddy reads coming up this year! I also have The Lies of Locke Lamora on audiobook.

[Almeta]

Love the award connections; should give you some quality reading.

Wish I had thought of it.☺

[Sarah]

I had dreams last night of not being able to make a connection between two books and it driving me mad so I think I need to stop looking at my list for a while!

@Esther - I know you like Brent Weeks's books and I wondered if you could recommend a good place to start as I haven't read any of his yet.

[Esther]

Well he has 2 unrelated series, so this is easy.

The first of his Night Angel trilogy: The Way of Shadows. The 3 books are out.

The lightbringer series (ongoing) starting with The Black Prism.

[Brenda]

Nice list! I'm going to have to find a way to fit in American Gods. He is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine

[Alexandra]

This is a great list, Sarah!

[Sarah]

Thanks Alexandra! I can't wait to get started with them!

[Alexandra]

I know. Once you put them on the list, you want to start reading all of them this very moment, right?

[Sarah]

Yes it's very easy to get carried away!

[Laura]

I love the way you linked, Sarah. Good luck!!

[Sarah]

Thought I'd get started straight away with Slick's Slugs so I'm listening to Night Film on audio and reading Perdido Street Station which I have borrowed from the library. Depending on how Perdido goes, I may well have to rearrange this section to put the sequel The Scar in.

[Esther]

The scar : Let me know if you do. We could buddy read it.

[Sarah]

Esther wrote: "The scar : Let me know if you do. We could buddy read it."

OK will do! I've read 20 pages so far of Perdido and there are loads of words that I have no idea what they mean so I think I need to fish out the dictionary!

[Sarah]

OK so I'm loving so I've just bought and have rearranged my lists to fit it in to Slick's! So I'm definitely up for a buddy read on it Esther!

[Esther]

We are on a buddy read roll, aren't we?

[Sarah]

Esther wrote: "We are on a buddy read roll, aren't we?"

That's quite a mouthful! And yes we are!

[Janice, Moderator]

It's a bit of a tongue twister, isn't it?

[Sarah]

I'm able to get The Help on audiobook so I want to slot it in somewhere either in Slick's or Mickey's section - any ideas for connection?

[Travis]

you need help for The Help lol

[Travis]

It is an award winner so if your connection is a more general award winning books rather than a specific award as a link it would fit many places

[Sarah]

Travis of NNY wrote: "It is an award winner so if your connection is a more general award winning books rather than a specific award as a link it would fit many places"

Good thinking Travis! I also thought I could use "Goodreads Author" as a link but other than that I think I've made things difficult for myself by choosing predominantly fantasy books.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

How is this bigger than 500pp??? *runs off to check her copy*

[Sarah]

Rusalka wrote: "How is this bigger than 500pp??? *runs off to check her copy*"

I will be listening to the audio so therefore going on the hardcover version for pages. In the list of versions, there are two hardcover editions - one is 451pgs and the other one is 544pgs so I was going to plump for the latter!

[Alexandra]

Sarah wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "How is this bigger than 500pp??? *runs off to check her copy*"

I will be listening to the audio so therefore going on the hardcover version for pages. In the list of versions, ther..."

I´m also planning on reading The Help for the chunkster challenge and unfortunately I own the 451 page paperback version. Just for fun I checked on the German version and it has 608 pages. The theory about Germans needing more words to say things seems to be true again.

You could link it to The Blade Itself by the yellow cover but I have no idea how to lin it to The Scar or American Gods...

[Sarah]

Thanks for the link idea - I definitely need to check out front covers - I hadn't thought about that!

[Kirila]

You can link The Help to The Scar by single word, 4-letter words for title (ignoring The). Or link author Kathryn Stockett to Stephen King by first letters of first and last name matching last and first first letters in the other author

[Sarah]

Lots of great linking ideas - thank you everyone!

[Cherie]

Kirila wrote: "You can link The Help to The Scar by single word, 4-letter words for title (ignoring The). Or link author Kathryn Stockett to Stephen King by first letters of first and last name matching last and ..."

Very good, Kirila. Is'n it amazing how easy it is to over look the simple things while we are staring right at them?!