Group Challenge 2017

[Thomas, Moderator]

I read Killing Floor a few years ago and rated it 4*, but did not review it.

[Susan]

Ah, Paul. I just love Jack Reacher.

[Paul]

My Dads a huge fan so I'll rob from his pile

[Lorraine]

Reacher is always a yearly treat for me. Apart from his last book which I disliked.

[Colleen]

I will start with The Gates of Evangeline

[Susan]

I just finished Betrayal at Iga. I really liked it. It is set in 1565 in Japan and centers around a town of trained assassins. Hiro is the bodyguard of a Portuguese priest and is assigned the task of stopping a ninja war. His mother, grandmother and ex-lover are some of his assassin suspects. It was a lot of fun.

[Kara]

so I lied, I couldn't wait to read "Woman no.17" so I went ahead and started it. I'm almost finished with it 😮

[Andy]

still haven't been inspired for the Crime/Thriller category

anyone read Jo Nesbø? is it worth a go, The Bat?
I like the Norwegian name, Flaggermusmannen

[Lorraine]

I know The Bat is his first book but it's probably his worst, I think. I really liked The Snowman.

[Andy]

thanks Lorraine - do they need to be read in sequence or how do you think they work as stand-alone?

[Lorraine]

I'm someone who doesn't mind reading books out of order so I'm probably not the best person to say. This was the first book I read of his and you might miss out on his romantic history but nothing major. It's also going to be a movie this year with Michael Fassbender. I'm guessing you're not a big crime fan?

[Lorraine]

I haven't made my crime choice yet but this is my favourite genre so it won't be hard. I might reread one of my Ross Macdonald books or try a local one like Death at Whitewater Church by Andrea Carter.

[Paul]

Yep its officially onto Crime /Thriller from the 19th june. I'll set the thread in a few

[Margo]

Due to family illness I am bowing out of all group reads, challenges, etc for the foreseeable future. I will return when I time allows.

Paul and Trelawn - best of luck for the big day, and of course for the the rest of your lives together.

[Maria Hill]

Take care Margo

[Thomas, Moderator]

Margo, I wish you well. Paul and Trelawn, best wishes.

[Colleen]

Margo I hope all will be well soon . Hopefully you will be back with us before you know it :)
Best wishes Paul and trelawn

[Donna]

Best wishes Margo, you will be missed.

[Trelawn]

Sorry to hear that Margo. Best wishes and I hope all will be well soon x x

[Paul]

We'll miss you Margo. I'll text you with photos closer to the wedding day and drop in next time I head to Offaly

[Bookworm with Kids]

I am sorry to hear that, Margo. I hope it all works out well for you and your family soon. Good luck.

[Kara]

I'm sorry to hear that Margo. you'll be back before you know it. I'll miss you.

[Andy]

take care of yourself Margo

[Paul]

Time to announce our next genre , to start the 31st July. -
Scifi / Dystopic fiction. Let me know your plans ☺

[Paul]

Good call. A very intetesting book. I did get odd looks reading it due to its titles similarity to another work

[Maria Hill]

Mmmh several choices are sitting on my shelf at the moment:

Ancillary Justice. - A pure set in space = science fiction.

The Power - the recent Bailey's Winner.

The book that may have invented cyber punk and inspired the Matrix. Neuromancer .

Mixed Genre books that have strong Sci Fi Elements , , .

A book I picked up for a Euro I know nothing about .



May choose what I most feel like at the time I suppose? Unless someone else is going to be reading one of the above?

[Trelawn]

I think I might read Shades of Grey as well

[Donna]

I could use some suggestions for this genre as it's not something I typically read.

[Maria Hill]

Donna wrote: "I could use some suggestions for this genre as it's not something I typically read."

Maybe The Humans by Matt Haig ?- it's about an Alien that inhabits an academics body and must live his life on earth while carrying out his day to day family life. It's very funny and touching.

[Paul]

Think thats what I'm going with Emma.

[Paul]

Anyone who hasnt read it should give The Martian a go. Its quite accesible for non scifi readers. Looking for something a bit more out there try Old Mans War by John Scalzi, set in a future where on reaching 75 you can join a space army to defend mankind in a supped up clone body. Actually a really good book and series with a bit of political commentary to it.
He also did a book called Redshirts which takes a cheeky look at some Redshirts in a Star Trek type tv show, destined to be the quick kill off but by some quirk both theirs and our universes coexist.

[Trelawn]

I'd second The Martian. Not something I would normally pick up but Andy Weir did a great job on this story

[Colleen]

I think I will readAmerican War and It Can't Happen Here . I might change my mind about It Can't Happen Here and read it for Classics genre, I was also thinking about Station Eleven or The Martian .

[Donna]

I think I will go with The Humans. Thanks to Maria and everyone for your suggestions!

[Maria Hill]

I still haven't read the Martian - loved the film. I only went because my Sister insisted.

[Myra]

I'm leaning towards Dark Matter and The China Pandemic. The China Pandemic is post-apocalyptic science fiction. Since I already downloaded Dark Matter some time ago, I will start with that and if I have time will go on with The China Pandemic.

[Margo]

Hi guys, turns out most of my comfort reading was Crime so I'll step back in, but less ambitiosly as I don't have as much time and my concentration is terrible.

I will try to read Doomsday Book. If I don't get on with that I'll try something else. I enjoy a bit of timetravel.

My current audiobook is very enjoyable and is sci-fi, Sleeping Giants and is on BorrowBox. It is formatted as series of recording so it works very well on audio. It is present day, planet earth and contains a bit of science fact! Only negative is that it's the first of a series and I don't know how long it will go on :(

Hey Paul - are you Mr. Trelawn yet or what ;-)

[Bookworm with Kids]

On Paul's recommendation, I am going to read Shades of Grey also. I will also catch up with the Crime category. While I was on holidays, I had intended to read a crime book on my Kindle but it was appropriated by my youngest daughter who proceeded to read the entire Twilight series!

[Paul]

Margo wrote: "Hi guys, turns out most of my comfort reading was Crime so I'll step back in, but less ambitiosly as I don't have as much time and my concentration is terrible.

I will try to read [book:Doomsday ..."

Its Thursday next week Margo. Getting very close

[Donna]

Paul wrote: "Margo wrote: "Hi guys, turns out most of my comfort reading was Crime so I'll step back in, but less ambitiosly as I don't have as much time and my concentration is terrible.

I will try to read [..."

How exciting!

[Trelawn]

"Mr Trelawn" that could definitely work Margo. Good suggestion 😁

[Paul]

Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Trelawn]

On a board full of women i dare you to make the argument for me taking your name over you becoming Mr Trelawn ( which sounds great by the way) 😁😉

[Paul]

Its all about equality , not role reversal.

[Trelawn]

Well said Mr Trelawn

[Margo]

Well Mr Trelawn has a nicer ring to it than Mrs Paul!

I'll be thinking you both on thursday <3

[Colleen]

Margo wrote: "Hi guys, turns out most of my comfort reading was Crime so I'll step back in, but less ambitiosly as I don't have as much time and my concentration is terrible.

I will try to read Doomsday ..."</i>

Margo I have [book:Sleeping Giants on my massive TBR pile and I'm glad you like it so far... I haven't been in a rush to read it for the same reason . I know the next in the series is out Waking Gods

[Paul]

I read Waking Gods a few months back , definitely more to come in the series anyway

[Maria Hill]

My Understanding is. Both fall under speculative fiction. That expand your imagination and ask what if?

However, Fantasy is the older (oldest?) genre based on Myths, Fairy tales, and Magic. What if a land called Middle Earth existed that had humans, hobbits, elves and dwarfs living in it? The Worlds in pure fantasy cannot exist.

Science Fiction is the newer genre and is based on speculation of what might be possible using scientific theory. Therefore technological advances such as Space Travel, other world theories, time travel all fall here. No matter how improbable Science Fiction is always technically possible.

I was confused for years because if you give me an HG Wells time machine I think Science Fiction but if you had people time traveling through standing stones I was thinking Fantasy. Time travel, however, is Sci Fi.

There are also a lot of stories that were a blend of both that I never noticed. If you set Star Wars in a medieval time - it is clearly Fantasy. I never noticed that until recently. So Star Wars is Science Fantasy (cause the Death Star is important and technology and not magic but is defeated by the force which is)

I thought my favourite sub genre Horror fell into Fantasy but then if you think of something like the Aliens Movies - clearly it fits into both Sci Fi and Fantasy.

I am still working it all out.

[Paul]

There' s actually quite a bit of debate on where Time travel sits , and in many cases it can be both genres , like you said if someone is transported in tine by standing stones its more fantasy.
I think the some is about as correct as you can get,
Fantasy is generally built on the back of Magic and Myth while scifi is generally built on the back of science and logic.
You get a lot of crossover , Starwars would be heavily fantasy in many ways while Anne MacCaffrey wrote scifi with dragons in it.