Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2019 Challenge Prompts - Regular
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20 - a book set in space
Rachelnyc wrote: "I'm not really looking forward to this one. I was thinking of The Martian but I really didn't like Artemis so I am weary. I don't think the things I disliked about Artemis (the ridiculous character..."I have read both and didn't enjoy Artemis nearly as much as I did The Martian. I would recommend The Martian over Artemis any day for sure. It's more technical in some ways but I feel like the story was better overall.
Kate wrote: "Rachelnyc wrote: "I'm not really looking forward to this one. I was thinking of The Martian but I really didn't like Artemis so I am weary. I don't think the things I disliked about Artemis (the ri..."Thanks Kate. I'm fine with glossing over the technical stuff if it gets too complicated so it's the story that is most important to me.
It will be either this or Illuminae for me since that book seems to keep popping up as a good one.
It's going to be an easy prompt for me since I love books set in space, but I guess for non fiction Cosmos would work.
I'm going to read The Martian for this. I planned to read it this year for the 'set on another planet' prompt but got sidetracked when I found a copy of A Princess of Mars from 1920 and thought I just had to read it to say I had read a book that old.
Vivian wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I have so many options for this! I have a whole shelf of "space" books that I need to read! I think I may go with Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery..."
That's so cool! Maybe we can buddy read it it works out!
Tonya wrote: "So does it count as "space" if takes place on a different planet? I really want to read All Systems Red but I'm not sure how much of it actually takes place in space. The synopsis s..."I just read this for my sci-fi book club! Most of the book takes place on the planet, they do travel to another planet at one point but it's super minor. The good news is that these books are actually novellas, and there are 3 more that I think involve more space travel, but I haven't read them yet! I'm planning on continuing the series though, because they are all under 200 pages and Murderbot is hilarious
After doing a couple Google searches earlier, I wrote down some titles that sounded interesting. During a visit to my local bookstore, found a used copy of Salvage for a very inexpensive price. Guess it was fate!
Rachael wrote: "I've been wanting to read Chris Van Allsburg for a while now, so I think I'll read Zathura (it's Jumanji but in space). I haven't read it so don't hold me to this, but I ..."Great idea! I didn't know about the sequel.
This is another category I'm not fussy about, especially since I've just read a couple books set in space for other challenges this year. This might be a long shot and I kind of think it won't work, but what about War of the Worlds by HG Wells? After all the Martians have to come from space :-)
Therese wrote: "This is another category I'm not fussy about, especially since I've just read a couple books set in space for other challenges this year. This might be a long shot and I kind of think it won't work..."I mean, I don't think it 'counts' in the technical sense, but if you know you don't want to read something that actually counts, you might as well stretch it so you can read what you want to read!
Raquel wrote: "Therese wrote: "This is another category I'm not fussy about, especially since I've just read a couple books set in space for other challenges this year. This might be a long shot and I kind of thi..."I'm going to leave this one blank for now and see what else I can come up with. I'm really trying to use books on my TBR shelf and/or ones that are free. Thanks for your input.
I've been wanting to try more graphic novels lately so think I will give the hugely beloved and hyped Saga, Vol. 1 a go. Am I correct in saying this is set in space? I'm actually not totally sure, just going off the synopsis.
Mod
Nadine wrote: "Yes in Saga they travel between planets. I can't remember what happens in volume 1 but there must be some space travel. At one point they end up in a space ship that is a living tree, but I don't t..."Sounds like it will fit the bill! Thanks Nadine.
Urgh. I hated trying to find something set on another planet this year, so I'm not flushed with joy here.
Anne McCaffery has a series set it space. I can't remember the name of the series, but it starts with the book The Rowen (which I can't get to link for some reason).
Would The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy work??
Tina wrote: "Would The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy work??"YES!
Heather L wrote: "Tina wrote: "Would The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy work??"YES!"
Thanks! :)
Sarah wrote: "Urgh. I hated trying to find something set on another planet this year, so I'm not flushed with joy here."I'm with you on this.
What about S is for Space? I read Something Wicked This Way Comes last year, so I at least know his writing style suits me. And they're short stories, so I can dip in and out, and know that none of them is going to last too long!I didn't realise how much I hate this genre...(sorry to those who like it!)
Some more suggestions for people averse to science fiction:Good Morning, Midnight (literary sf)
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth (non fiction)
The Darkest Dark (picture book)
Soviet Space Dogs (non fiction)*
Laika (graphic novel)*
A Space Traveller's Guide To The Solar System (non fiction)
Binti (novella)
Or a book by Brian Cox like Wonders of the Universe (non fiction)
*Obviously don't pick these up if you don't like books where dogs die.
I'm thinking about Light Years by Kass Morgan for this one. Either that or Record of a Spaceborn Few.
Sarah wrote: "What about S is for Space? I read Something Wicked This Way Comes last year, so I at least know his writing style suits me. And they're short stories, so I can dip in an..."I'm not familiar with S is for Space, But, you could try The Martian Chronicles. Mars is in space.
Ellie wrote: "Some more suggestions for people averse to science fiction:Good Morning, Midnight (literary sf)
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth (non fiction)
The Darkes..."</i>
Thanks for your suggestions! My library has [book:Laika, so I am going to go with that and tick off this prompt early in the year with a nice graphic novel
Ellie wrote: "Some more suggestions for people averse to science fiction:Good Morning, Midnight (literary sf)
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth (non fiction)
The Darkes..."
Thanks for the suggestions!
My library has Laika, so I am going to go with that and tick off this (for me) difficult prompt with a nice graphic novel early in the year!
I just finished listening to Illuminae as an audiobook, and it was very entertaining. I've heard that it's a different experience to read the book, though (it's set up in an unconventional way).
Katy wrote: "Sarah wrote: "What about S is for Space? I read Something Wicked This Way Comes last year, so I at least know his writing style suits me. And they're short stories, so I..."I found a Wiki on it, and it sounds like most of the stories aren't set in space. Urgh.
But I did some more research (basically a combination of "sci fi" [with/without the word hate!] and things I like reading about - motherhood, friendship etc), and came up with Across the Universe, and The Space Between the Stars. Think I'm going to go with the second one, if I can get a copy from the library.
If anyone needs a little real life push getting excited about space, don't forget that Monday we are landing on Mars! NASA InSight will hopefully land safely and get ready to learn about the interior of the planet. (Does it have a molten core?) InSight brought a couple of friends to help relay signals back home, two MarCO cubesats nicknamed Wall-E and Eva, because they use fire extinguisher propellant to steer. Everything we learn will be of use to a future human flight to the red planet.https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/
Thanks poshpenny, I will look at that with my son.
Mod
wowza!! I had no idea!!!
Would the The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin fit this prompt? Hope so as I have it my TBR stash.
poshpenny wrote: "If anyone needs a little real life push getting excited about space, don't forget that Monday we are landing on Mars! NASA InSight will hopefully land safely and get ready to learn about the interi..."Oh bless, I'm totally going to be imagining Wall-E and Eve whooshing round Mars now!
Just seen a recommendation for Brightly Burning in another post. This sounds much more appealing than The Martian!
For those that don't like sci-fi, this is a bit of a stretch as probably most of the book takes place on earth, but Space by James Michener is about American trying to get into Space. I read it a long time ago, so don't really remember all the details, but I do know some of the characters go into space at least once, if not more often, including a trip to the moon. It is really long, though.
It's probably been addressed, and if so I apologize (too lazy to look through 90 posts), but it's my opinion that "In Space" and "On a Celestial Body (moon, another planet)" are not the same thing.Usual disclaimer: It's your challenge, so interpret how you like. I'm sharing my interpretation.
Not sure if it had been mentionned before but House of Suns is set most of the time in space. I liked that book a lot, but it's hard sci-fi so you must like that genre.
Anne wrote: "Anne McCaffery has a series set it space. I can't remember the name of the series, but it starts with the book The Rowen (which I can't get to link for some reason)."I haven't read the series you're talking about, but I did enjoy her Brain Ships series, starting with: The Ship Who Sang. They usually spend some time planet side in each book, but also a fair amount of time travelling between places.
I really enjoyed Seveneves, it is a long one but great story and characters. You could also use Cinder series, which would also work for retelling as it is the “princess” stories.
Mike wrote: "It's probably been addressed, and if so I apologize (too lazy to look through 90 posts), but it's my opinion that "In Space" and "On a Celestial Body (moon, another planet)" are not the same thing...."I agree Mike, every time I see someone saying this is a repeat of last year's on another planet prompt, internally I'm going, noooo they're completely different! But I know a lot of people have a block about reading science fiction, so I think they need a lot of leeway. I mean Earth is technically in space...
I'm personally only counting books where a significant portion is set off-planet or is about space travel (like Laika is about getting dogs into space but only has the space bit near the end).
Ellie wrote: "Mike wrote: "It's probably been addressed, and if so I apologize (too lazy to look through 90 posts), but it's my opinion that "In Space" and "On a Celestial Body (moon, another planet)" are not th..."I agree with both of you. I wouldn´t count a book set on another planet, but only a book with a signifcant portion of the book set in space (fiction or nonfiction). But this category is also pretty easy for me since I enjoy this type of book, and others that might not may need to stretch it. Or go with one of the many great suggestions in this thread, for readers who don´t usually enjoy space-books.
Just to mention it here, if (like me) you really aren't feeling this prompt. It came up in one of the other discussion threads that The Lady Astronaut of Mars would fit here and is super short (like, 19 pages?). Could be an easy pass...
Johanne wrote: "Ellie wrote: "Mike wrote: "It's probably been addressed, and if so I apologize (too lazy to look through 90 posts), but it's my opinion that "In Space" and "On a Celestial Body (moon, another plane..."I agree as well that "In Space" and "On Another Planet" are not the same thing. However, sci-fi, which is where most of these books seem to fall, is not my go to genre. Recommendations of this nature? Thanks!
Mod
No, it's set entirely on earth. It would work for "super powers" though.
Sarah wrote: "Just to mention it here, if (like me) you really aren't feeling this prompt. It came up in one of the other discussion threads that The Lady Astronaut of Mars would fit here and is ..."This sounds really good! Now I want to read the whole series.
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I meant to answer ..."
Thanks Tracy! My curiosity is piqued enough that I think I am going to give it a shot, especially since nothing else is jumping out at me for this prompt.