Scott is Shameless (Zero open Series)

[Bill]

Very impressed that you are staying under 10 open series.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Bill wrote: "Very impressed that you are staying under 10 open series."

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Nice! I especially love that you abandoned 4 of the 5 you started. No sense in inflating your challenge with sub-par books. Love it haha."

Thanks. Yes not feeling like I have to continue every series is so liberating. It doesn't hurt that all were no brainer choices. Technically it was 4/6 that I started as Low Town I quit after book two.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

I bet! Does is feel like you're getting through things quicker now? My completion ratio always seems higher on the months where I'm reading mostly the good stuff. I can't wait to be shameless too!! Then I can focus on the 50 shades of shame for my overflowing challenge haha.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "I bet! Does is feel like you're getting through things quicker now? My completion ratio always seems higher on the months where I'm reading mostly the good stuff. I can't wait to be shameless too!!..."

I think the biggest difference are I feel no shame for saying this is shit I'm not continuing and then on the stuff I do continue I'm so much more current on the read. The continuity is so much better. On stuff I do continue I've just been knocking out a book a month and completing them. Outside of Expanse they've all been 2-4 book series so it's not that hard to stay on top of them when you don't have an endless open series list.

I want to read a bunch of books published in 2017 before the end of the year and the BRs I'm committed to but then in January I want to either complete or abandon those 4 original series. I'll give them all a shot and see what happens.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. :) it was fun for several years just picking up anything that struck my fancy in the moment, but considering the fallout from that took me 2 years to get back on top of it, I'll never let it get that bad again (as we mentioned, I'll probably never let it get over 20). I'm stoked! The continuity is the element I'm most looking forward to. I lose a lot of series impact by letting too much time pass.

[Miche]

Awesome month, Scott!

[Tammie]

Good work Scott!

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Tammie wrote: "Good work Scott!"

Miche wrote: "Awesome month, Scott!"

Thanks ladies.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. :) it was fun for several years just picking up anything that struck my fancy in the moment, but considering the fallout from that took me 2 years to get b..."

It actually makes fretting over what to read next easier as well. I just know I'm continuing with something I like.

[Hacen]

Good job! 👍

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

Great month Scott.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Slow month in December for the challenge. I needed bit of a fantasy break and read a lot of history and historical fiction.

December stats

Open month 9 open finished with 7 open.

Books read: 3

Completed: 0

Up to date: 3

The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter Ryeria Chronicles 4/4 (back up to date)
Godsgrave Nevernight 2/2
With Blood Upon the Sand Shattered Sands 2/2

Started:0
Continued:0
Abandoned: 0

[Tammie]

My December has been slow too. Good work getting 3 up to date though.

[Miche]

Good job, Scott!

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Miche wrote: "Good job, Scott!"

Danke.

Tammie wrote: "My December has been slow too. Good work getting 3 up to date though."

If you're only going to do three you have to make them count! LOL.

[Bill]

Great Job as always.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Abandoning Dark Tower after book 2.

The Gunslinger Dark Tower 2/7.5

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

January stats

Opened the month 7 open finished with 9 open.

Books read: 12

Completed: 1

The Infernal Battalion Shadow Campaigns 5/5

Up to date: 2

Warbreaker Warbreaker 1/1
Iron Gold Red Rising Era 2 1/1

Started: 5

Warbreaker Warbreaker 1/1
Iron Gold Red Rising Era 2 1/1
Inda Inda 1/4
Dragon Hunters Chronicles of the Exile 1/3
The Pillars of the Earth Kingsbridge 1/3

Continued: 3 series, 5 books

Dragon Hunters Chronicles of the Exile 2/3
Deadline Newsflesh 2/4
Blackout Newsflesh 3/4
Caliban's War Expanse 5/15
Gods of Risk Expanse 6/16


Abandoned: 1

The Drawing of the Three Darktower 2/7.5

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Nice update! This is my first month with under 20 series open and I'm a believer. I'm going to start a few next month, but I know I'll stay on top of them and finish them out within a few months.

[Mayim]

Good month Scott! I opened 5 new and finished 1. :(

[Bill]

You and Niki have me so jealous of your open series numbers. Was hoping to get down there with you guys but I just signed up for a bunch of buddy reads.

[Delitealex]

Great progress. I have too many open series to count and am starting more everyday it seems.

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

Great month Scott.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

FEB stats

Series incomplete to start month: 9
Series incomplete to close month: 8
Books read: 6

Completed: 0

Up to date: 2

Tempests and Slaughter Numair Chronicles 1/1
Red Tide: Book 3 Chronicles of the Exile 3/3

Started
Tempests and Slaughter Numair Chronicles 1/1
Illuminae Illuminae Files 1/3

Progressed: 3

Abaddon's Gate Expanse 7/16
World Without End Kingsbridge 2/3
Bones of the Hills Conqueror 3/5

Abandoned: 1

Malice Faithful and the Fallen 1/4

A slower month for this challenge as I did a lot of historical fiction or stand alones in fantasy/sci-fi. My abandoned it was time to let it go. Everytime I thought about starting it I was never in the mood.

[Tammie]

Pretty good for a slow month.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Tammie wrote: "Pretty good for a slow month."

It has been good to read some non-series stuff.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

A couple of good tomes in there. 9 to 8 is great. I know I've asked this before, but are you planning to take it down to five or just ride pretty at under 10?

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "A couple of good tomes in there. 9 to 8 is great. I know I've asked this before, but are you planning to take it down to five or just ride pretty at under 10?"

I took it all the way down to 4 at one point, all originals. I finally progressed one of those originals this month and decided to abandon another. As long as I'm below or around ten I'm fine with it.

[Margret, Caladan Brood Face]

Excellent work I’ll have to get that Genghis series going, sounds like I’d like it!

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Margret wrote: "Excellent work I’ll have to get that Genghis series going, sounds like I’d like it!"

It's been terrific. He's a great writer.

[Miche]

Great job, Scott!

The Team Reading Competition keeps adding up new series in my list, lol. I hope I can bring some down this year.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

March Stats:

Open incomplete series: 8
Closed incomplete series: 8

Books read: 11

Completed: 2

A Column of Fire Kingsbridge 3/3
Feedback Newsflesh 4/4

Up to date: 1

Thunderhead Scythe 2/2 (back up to date)

Advanced: 3

Cibola Burn Expanse 8/16
The Vital Abyss Expanse 9/16
Nemesis Games Expanse 10/16
Gemina Illuminae 2/3
The Mad Ship Liveship Traders 2/3

Started: 2

The Passage The Passage 1/3
Crimes Against Magic Helliquin 1/7.5

Abandoned: 1

The Red Knight Traitor Son's Cycle 1/5

[Tammie]

Nice job!

[Miche]

Great job, Scott!

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

Well done Scott. Great progress.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Thanks ladies.

[Bill]

Nice month captain.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

April stats:

Opened month: 8 open series
Closed month: 8 open series
Books read: 7

Completed: 1

Ship of Destiny Liveship Traders 3/3

Up to date: 0

Advanced: 4

The Twelve The Passage 2/3
King of Thorns Broken Empire 2/3
Born of Hatred Hellequin 2/7.5
Babylon's Ashes Expanse 12/16

Abandoned: 1

Gemina Illuminae 2/3

Started: 2

The Three-Body Problem Earth's remembrance 1/3
Fall of Giants Century 1/3


I actually read a lot more than this but it was a heavy standalone, historical fiction and nonfiction month.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Nice stats :) What threw you off Illuminae? All I've seen are flailing fangirl reviews.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Niki Hawkes wrote: "Nice stats :) What threw you off Illuminae? All I've seen are flailing fangirl reviews."

It's far too YA and I found none of the characters compelling minus an AI character which should tell you something. The banter between the main two characters was supposed to be witty but came off as contrived for me.

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

Haha yeah it does. Thanks, I've been waffling on even adding it to the TBR. I'll hold off in favor of all the other things.

[Miche]

Great job, Scott!

@Niki, the Illuminae series is very ya. I really liked it only because of the AI pov and the format.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

TY, Miche.

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

Great month Scott!

[Margret, Caladan Brood Face]

Keeping your balance even for the month is a good month by my books

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

May stats

Started with 8 open series
Finished with 8 open series
Books read: 11

Completed: 2
Emperor of Thorns Broken Empire 3/3
The City of Mirrors The Passage 3/3

Up to date: 2
Wrath of Empire Gods of Powder 2/2 (back up to date)
Strange Dogs Expanse 12/13
Persepolis Rising Expanse 13/13

Advanced: 2

Winter of the World Century 2/3
Infamous Reign Hellequin 2.5/7

Started: 2
The Garden of Stones Echoes of Empire 1/3
Every Heart a Doorway Wayward Children 1/3

Abandoned: 2

Unclean Spirits Black Sun's Daughter 1/5
Snowblind Dark Iceland 1/5

[Bill]

Another great month. I’m amazed you haven’t had a month where you cracked and go above 10 open series again.

Wayward Children is going to be 5 novellas now. Author signed another deal with Tor.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Bill wrote: "Another great month. I’m amazed you haven’t had a month where you cracked and go above 10 open series again.

Wayward Children is going to be 5 novellas now. Author signed another deal with Tor."

Good to know about Wayward Children. I've opened a lot of series but I've been good about cleaning them up or abandoning them. I had 14 abandoned last year and I'm already at 18 this year with over 3 months left.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

June Stats

Started Series Open: 8
Closed Series Open: 7
Books read: 12

Completed: 1
Edge of Eternity Century 3/3

Up to date: 2
The Poppy War Poppy War 1/1
A Reaper at the Gates Ember in the Ashes 3/3

Started: 4
Lifel1k3 Lifelike 1/1
Children of Blood and Bone Orisha 1/1
The Poppy War Poppy War 1/1
A Man of Shadows Nyquist 1/2

Progressed: 5
Down Among the Sticks and Bones Wayward Children 2/3
The Fox Inda 2/4
The Obsidian Heart Echoes of Empire 2/3
With Silent Screams 3.5/7
The Dark Forest Earth's Remembrance 2/3


Abandoned: 3
Lifel1k3 Lifelike 1/1
Children of Blood and Bone Orisha 1/1
Cephrael's Hand Shadow & Light 1/5

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

How are you and Samir liking the Echoes of Empire series? I never did get back to it but plan to.