SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
SciFi and Fantasy Book Challenge
>
2021 TBR Cleanup Challenge
20/201. Take a gamble - Lifelode
2. Red or black - Dark Lullaby
3. Behind the eight ball - Flight of the Fantail
4. Charade - The Time of the Ghost
5. Agreeable alliteration - The Frost Fair Affair
6. Jackpot - Fugitive Telemetry
7. Pawns - We Are Satellites
8. An 8 or 21 - In the Watchful City
9. Dealer's choice - When Fox is a Thousand
10. X marks the spot - Remote Control
11. Murrderrrrr - Silver Moon
12. Back from the dead - Black Water Sister
13. Features a game or puzzle - We Broke the Moon
14. I have no gift for strategy - The Witness for the Dead
15. Features best friends - The Tea Dragon Tapestry
16. Queen of hearts - The Unbroken
17. Role-play - Chaos on CatNet
18. Amazing race - Zero Sum Game
19. Taboo - The New Moon's Arms
20. Critical hit - Elatsoe
Explanations:
(view spoiler)
and that makes three (Alphabet, Series and this one), so I'm out of Crazy Eights and might opt out of Around the Shelf. Plus I'm going to continue on with the Short Stories as I seem to have quite a few of them left on my TBR pile17. Role-play - does this equal one of those RPG? And how do your books fit the criteria?
CBRetriever wrote: "17. Role-play - does this equal one of those RPG? And how do your books fit the criteria?"It could be RPG, but also anything to do with someone playing different roles in their life. I chose Cheshire Cat, because it impersonates a human :) This prompt was inspired by one of my favorite binge shows, Gentleman Jack, who is a woman, but takes on the role of a man in her household and life.
Mod
I'm in! I may not pick as many of my selections up front as in previous years, but I will post at least a few choices soon-ish.
I’m in too but will have to combine it with Alphabet, Series and Read all the books - I have a sneaking suspicion that my TBR will ended up growing not shrinking lol.
Oh, of course I’m in! Well, more than half the fun is seeing how many books I already own I can make fit the prompts! So far only the series challenge has the potential for prompting book buying. Oh and the Amazing Eights too. But who knows? edit: I will fill this in soon, and swap things out as I go most likely.✅1. Take a gamble - Seanan McGuire Every Heart a Doorway new to me author, I'm not sure I'm going to like.
2. Red or black - Sunrunner's Fire cover red AND black
✅3. Behind the eight ball - Parable of the Sower
✅4. Charade - The Haunting of Tram Car 015,
✅5. Agreeable alliteration - Rendezvous with RamaIn progress
6. Jackpot
✅7. Pawns - Interference
8. An 8 or 21 - Tin - 21st book on my physical SF TBR shelf
9. Dealer's choice
✅10. X marks the spot - The Poet X
✅11. Murrderrrrr - Artificial Condition (well, obviously)
✅12. Back from the dead - Katrina Hates The Dead
✅13. Features a game or puzzle - A Memory Called Empire
✅14. I have no gift for strategy - Winter's Orbit
15. Features best friends - Seraphina
✅16. Queen of hearts - Chasing the Queen of Sassi
17. Role-play - Ready Player One OR Catfishing on CatNet
✅18. Amazing race - Children of Time In progress
✅19. Taboo - Out of the Silence: After the Crash Cannibalism
20. Critical hit - A Song for a New Day OR Riot Baby
I'm in as well. I might wait until I finish this year's challenge before I start dreaming about next year's new and shiny though.
We'll see how many I stick with. I seem to always change 4 or 520/20
(seven selections changed)
✔︎1. Take a gamble — Changed pick to Borderline, gamble on mysterious job opportunity.
✔︎2. Red or black — Changed pick to Black Bead
✔︎3. Behind the eight ball — Changed pick to The Ghost Train to New Orleans, several characters wind up in this situation
✔︎4. Charade — Heroine Complex, main character pretends to be someone she's not and gets found out pretending to be something she is not
✔︎ 5. Agreeable alliteration — Assassin's Apprentice
✔︎6. Jackpot — Pachinko, pachinko is a slot machine game
✔︎7. Pawns — Starship Troopers, soldiers are pawns in war
✔︎ 8. An 8 or 21 — Arrival, it has 8 stories
✔︎9. Dealer's choice — Catfantastic: Nine Lives and Fifteen Tales, an edited volume is a dealer’s choice
✔︎10. X marks the spot — X , I mean, come on.
✔︎11. Murrderrrrr — The Word Is Murder , murrderrrrr
✔︎12. Back from the dead — Midnight Taxi Tango, ghosts and stuff
✔︎ 13. Features a game or puzzle — Changed pick to Dying with Her Cheer Pants On
✔︎ 14. I have no head for strategy — Raven Stratagem
✔︎15. Features best friends — Changed pick to Victory of Eagles
✔︎ 16. Queen of hearts — A Hope Divided, it's a romance
✔︎17. Role-play — Changed pick to One Salt Sea, lots of disguises and role-playing
✔︎18. Amazing race — Ancestral Night, characters on the run across the galaxy
✔︎19. Taboo — Wool Omnibus, character violates a societal taboo
✔︎20. Critical hit — changed pick to Those Who Hunt the Night, it takes a critical hit to kill a vampire,
Mod
am the worst princess bride fan!
Raucous wrote: "I'm in as well. I might wait until I finish this year's challenge before I start dreaming about next year's new and shiny though."I lied:
Progress: 20/20
✔︎ 1. Take a gamble: Clockwork Boys (This team? It'll never work.)
✔︎ 2. Red or black: Community of Magic Pens (ink color choices that you'd find at the office)
✔︎ 3. Behind the eight ball: Nature Obscura: A City's Hidden Natural World (nature in an urban environment)
✔︎ 4. Charade: The House in the Cerulean Sea
✔︎ 5. Agreeable alliteration: The The Case of the Graceful Goldens (of course they are)
✔︎ 6. Jackpot: Swordheart (about that inheritance...)
✔︎ 7. Pawns: The Wonder Engine (the carnivorous tattoos are a clue)
✔︎ 8. An 8 or 21: A Desolation Called Peace (number-based name system)
✔︎ 9. Dealer's choice: The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (Aeluons & Akaraks & Laru & Quelin! Oh my!)
✔︎ 10. X marks the spot: The Steerswoman (mapping the world)
✔︎ 11. Murrderrrrr: Network Effect (Murrderrrrrbottttt!)
✔︎ 12. Back from the dead: Paladin's Grace (When your god dies what is left behind?)
✔︎ 13. Features a game or puzzle: Olive, Mabel and Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs (What does a sportscaster cover during a pandemic?)
✔︎ 14. I have no gift for strategy: Million Mile Road Trip (nothing says "no strategy" quite like a high school graduation road trip)
✔︎ 15. Features best friends: Good Dog: Celebrating Dogs Who Change, and Sometimes Even Save, Our Lives
✔︎ 16. Queen of hearts: Soulless (a refreshingly direct approach to hearts)
✔︎ 17. Role-play: The Wizard's Butler (with tips for the position)
✔︎ 18. Amazing race: The End of Everything ("Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice.")
✔︎ 19. Taboo: Defekt (You want to do what with your sick leave?)
✔︎ 20. Critical hit: Elatsoe (on so many "best of" lists last year)
Here is my tentative list, I too always end up changing some when the mood strikes me -1. Take a gamble
The Eye of the World
2. Red or black - Cover is red and black
The Wolf in the Whale
3. Behind the eight ball
Side Jobs
4. Charade
The Princess and the Wolf
5. Agreeable alliteration
Guards! Guards!
6. Jackpot
The Lies of Locke Lamora
7. Pawns
Remnant Population
8. An 8 or 21 (21 on TBR)
book:A Curse Dark as Gold|1743390]
9. Dealer's choice
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
10. X marks the spot
The Tyrant’s Tomb
11. Murrderrrrr - Thank you to Anna
The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper
12. Back from the dead
The Woman Who Died a Lot
13. Features a game or puzzle
The Westing Game
14. I have no head for strategy
Peace Talks
15. Features best friends
Not Your Backup
16. Queen of hearts
The Queen of Nothing
17. Role-play
Tehanu
18. Amazing race
Into the Drowning Deep
19. Taboo
Oryx and Crake
20. Critical hit
Know My Name
Allison wrote: "iiii just now realized it should be "i have no gift for strategy.""Edited! :)
I see Cinrak and so much Vernon/Kingfisher on the lists! ^_^
Well you had told me that it was rude to have unread T. Kingfisher. This is all that I had left (and more than I expected).
It's so much fun making this kind of lists!Dislaimer 1: I might have stretched some prompts to fit the books that were already on my 2021 TBR list for various reasons.
Dislaimer 2: I'll probably swap the books around during the year, just like I did in 2020.
Link to personal challenge: here
---
Progress: 20/20
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Reasons:
spoiler: (view spoiler)
Raucous wrote: "Well you had told me that it was rude to have unread T. Kingfisher."Truth.
Another great list this year. I'm in.Completed! 20/20
✔1. Take a gamble
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (The Dragonbone Chair, and then, maybe, Stone of Farewell, To Green Angel Tower, Part 1, To Green Angel Tower, Part 2) by Tad Williams
--Should I take a chance on Tad William’s classic 1980s fantasy saga? Will I be able to get through this massive tome? The gamble is all mine. Wish me luck.
✔2. Red or black
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
--Double red.
✔3. Behind the eight ball
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
--I think being of color in America absolutely qualifies as being behind the eight ball.
✔4. Charade
Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
--Can a vampire live amongst humans? Or is it all a charade?
✔5. Agreeable alliteration
The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy
--Water……...wide……….oh forget it.
✔6. Jackpot
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
--Proulx hit the jackpot, The Pulitzer Prize, with this one.
✔7. Pawns
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
--Haldeman’s comments about war, based on his experiences in Vietnam, remind us that soldiers are indeed usually pawns.
✔8. An 8 or 21
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
--the 8th most highly rated book on my TBR shelf according to GR
✔9. Dealer's choice
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
--This was our “mod curated” SFF choice from last July, so the dealer’s choice is from you, our luminous moderators
✔10. X marks the spot
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
--WesseX marks the spot of the Dane's assault on England in this, the start of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories.
✔11. Murrderrrrr
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
--It’s about a time-travelling serial killer; sounds like murrderrrrr to me.
✔12. Back from the dead
The Pursuit of William Abbey by Claire North
--William (ie William Abbey, the subject of the title) is cursed, pursued by a ghost. Who is back from the dead.
✔13. Features a game or puzzle
Head On by John Scalzi
--Game: "Hilketa is a frenetic and violent pastime where players attack each other with swords and hammers. The main goal of the game: obtain your opponent’s head and carry it through the goalposts."
✔14. I have no gift for strategy
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker
--The “hero,” Orhan is an engineer and not a military strategist, so things apparently don’t go as planned. I am looking forward to this one, for sure.
✔15. Features best friends
Brother Fish by Bryce Courtenay
--Centered around three who come to be best friends, this is another big, brash offering from Bryce Courtenay.
✔16. Queen of hearts
Heads Will Roll by Kate McKinnon
--"Off with their heads!"
✔17. Role-play
The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
--The second book of The Saxon Stories, telling us more about Uhtred and the role he had to play in English history. ;)
✔18. Amazing race
Gironimo! Riding the Very Terrible 1914 Tour of Italy by Tim Moore
--1914 Giro d’Italia: The hardest bike race in history. Truly, an amazing race.
✔19. Taboo
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
--Ha, fooled you. (NOT 50 Shades of Gray)
✔20. Critical hit
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
--On Boxall’s 1000 Books List and the winner of the Booker Prize in 2000. Sounds like a critical hit, right?
Happy to see this back again, I'll fill most in as I go.2021 TBR Cleanup, January 1 - December 31
Goal: 20/20, 100.00%
Options/Reasoning: (view spoiler)
I am in too, my usual TBR+Already owned challenge1. Take a gamble
2. Red or black
3. Behind the eight ball
4. Charade
5. Agreeable alliteration
6. Jackpot
7. Pawns
8. An 8 or 21
9. Dealer's choice
10. X marks the spot
11. Murrderrrrr
12. Back from the dead
13. Features a game or puzzle
14. I have no gift for strategy
15. Features best friends
16. Queen of hearts
17. Role-play
18. Amazing race
19. Taboo
20. Critical hit
20/20✔1. Take a gamble: A Knock at Midnight: A Story of Hope, Justice, and Freedom [Barnett is gambling w/ the lives of the people she tries to save from life sentences for non violent drug offenders. Her tactics are a roll of the dice and she wins!! Great memoir]
✔2. Red or black: Red at the Bone [Red is in the title. Refers to skin tone]
✔3. Behind the eight ball: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents [Nothing worse than being on the bottom of a cultural heirarchy]
✔4. Charade: Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood [Noah was constantly pretending to be something else to survive his childhood]
✔5. Agreeable alliteration: The Ways of White Folks
✔6. Jackpot: Black Buck [a young, aimless barista hits the jackpot when he convinces a startup CEO to change his coffee order in this satire about corporate culture and race relations]
✔7. Pawns: I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life [microbes are organic nanobots. We are manipulating them to cure disease, get rid of pollution etc. Tools]
✔8. An 8 or 21: Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon [Apollo 8 was great!!]
✔9. Dealer's choice: Interior Chinatown [I read this category as my choice to put whatever I want here. This one was one of my favorite reads this year.]
✔10. X marks the spot: The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power [Goes without saying that a street address would be where you might put the X...]
✔11. Murrderrrrr: The Vanished Birds Tougher category than it sounds because in general I don't read books specifically about murder. This one had several murders in it.]
✔12. Back from the dead: Ring Shout [old bigotries, grievances, hatreds, viciousness, and cultural demons never die as much as we try to bury them.]
✔13. Features a game or puzzle: The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories [Many of the stories featured origami animals which are a sort of game/puzzle]
✔14. I have no gift for strategy: The Nest [Siblings base their entire futures on a windfall that never comes. The strategy of squandering everything because the windfall is coming was flawed.]
✔15. Features best friends: Zoe's Tale [Story features two sets of best friends: Zoe and Gretchen and Enzo and Magdy. Surprisingly well done]
✔16. Queen of hearts: No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters [I think this one goes without explanation. Ursula K LeGuin if not the queen of literary hearts, surely the queen of literary souls]
✔17. Role-play: Record of a Spaceborn Few [On generational colony ships, everyone has a specific role to play or the colony doesn't survive]
✔18. Amazing race: Endymion [This is actually an epic chase/pursuit--they won because they haven't been caught...yet]
✔19. Taboo: Things Fall Apart [filled w/ tribal mythologies, superstitions and theology. Strange rites and lots of taboos.]
✔20. Critical hit: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History [Won the Pulitzer Prize in 2015]
I'm going to join! For me this challenge isn't one I'm trying too hard to complete. I think it's fun to find books that fit, and if I'm in the mood I'll read them. I enjoyed going back to my list this year when I wasn't sure what to read next. I'll update this post later with my planned reads! Looking forward to it :)
Update, planned reads:
1. Take a gamble - Finders / Caster / Two Suns in the Sky
2. Red or black - Black Sun / God Is Red: A Native View of Religion
3. Behind the eight ball - Flame in the Mist
4. Charade - Dragon Pearl
5. Agreeable alliteration - The Starless Sea / Atlas Alone
6. Jackpot - The Poppy War
7. Pawns - The Better Part of Valor
8. An 8 or 21 - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
9. Dealer's choice - Amatka / Everfair
10. X marks the spot - Point of Hopes
11. Murrderrrrr - All Systems Red
12. Back from the dead - Cemetery Boys
13. Features a game or puzzle - Court of Fives
14. I have no gift for strategy - The Tethered Mage
15. Features best friends - Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong / The Raven and the Reindeer
16. Queen of hearts - The Queen of Nothing
17. Role-play - We Set the Dark on Fire /
18. Amazing race - Children of Time
19. Taboo - Spin the Dawn
20. Critical hit - The Dispossessed
Explanations (hidden for length)
(view spoiler)
Selections may change because I'm a mood reader :)
Aaaah, the prompts are here! I'm so excited!!! Like Hank, I'll try to limit myself to books I already own.
1. Take a gamble - Das verrückte Tagebuch des Henry Shackleford: Roman
2. Red or black - Redshirts
3. Behind the eight ball - The Future of Another Timeline
5. Agreeable alliteration - Africanfuturism: An Anthology
6. Jackpot - Piranesi
7. Pawns - Le Roi de fer
9. Dealer's choice - On A Sunbeam
12. Back from the dead - Two Hundred and Twenty-One Baker Streets: An Anthology of Holmesian Tales Across Time and Space
13. Features a game or puzzle - Cannonbridge
14. I have no gift for strategy - Midnight Never Come
17. Role-play - Catfishing on CatNet
18. Amazing race - The Hanging Artist
Explanations:
(view spoiler)
Mareike, I want to hear how you like #12! I have it on my TBR because it has a story by Emma Newman, but I'm not a big Holmes fan, so haven't gotten around to it.
I'll let you know, Anna! I'm not a massive Holmes fan either, but I enjoy Holmes-ian stories from time to time, and I do enjoy stories that put a spin on "classics". (But also, I can take my time with this and spread out the reading since it's an anthology.)
Well, I managed to come up with more than I expected, but there's still a few I'll just need to hope I read something that ends up fitting.-picked a random number and this was the book in that slot
2. Red or black - Black Leopard, Red Wolf
3. Behind the eight ball - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
-anticipating it will take me awhile to get through this
4. Charade - Midnight Robber
-Title refers to masked performers
6. Jackpot
-(view spoiler)
8. An 8 or 21 - 1Q84
9. Dealer's choice
-book 1 of the Xenogenesis Trilogy
11. Murrderrrrr - All Systems Red
12. Back from the dead - Once & Future
-deals with the reincarnation of King Arthur
13. Features a game or puzzle - A Memory Called Empire
14. I have no gift for strategy
15. Features best friends - Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
17. Role-play - The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom
18. Amazing race - Beneath the Rising
-looks to be a 'chase' story
19. Taboo - A Song for a New Day
-Revolves around an activity that's become taboo
20. Critical hit - Becoming Superman: A Writer's Journey from Poverty to Hollywood with Stops Along the Way at Murder, Madness, Mayhem, Movie Stars, Cults, Slums, Sociopaths, and War Crimes
-Highest rated book on my TBR
Mod
It's me again, the non-English speaking person. I need sb explain to me what #3 "Behind the eight ball" means. I tried to figure out the meaning by looking at what folks chose for this prompt, but it still evades me. ^^'
Mod
I need sb explain to me what #3 "Behind the eight ball" means. I tried to figure out the meaning by looking at what folks chose for this prompt, but..."
I thought this might come up! It is a term from playing pool. If the cue ball is behind the eight ball, you are at a disadvantage. It's used to mean disadvantaged, usually regarding time.
Allison wrote: "I thought this might come up! It is a term from playing pool. If the cue ball is behind the eight ball, you are at a disadvantage. It's used to mean disadvantaged, usually regarding time...."Thanks a lot, Allison!
Anna wrote: "Mareike, I want to hear how you like #12! I have it on my TBR because it has a story by Emma Newman, but I'm not a big Holmes fan, so haven't gotten around to it."It's on mine too so I might "steal" it from you for my #12 as well
Thank you, our glorious mods, for once again providing us with fascinating and intriguing prompts!1. Take a gamble — The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (A gamble for me because I was mixed on his much-praised Snow Crash, and it’s a hefty tome, so would require quite a commitment to read it.)
2. Red or black — Redshirts (self-explanatory)
3. Behind the eight ball — Salvage the Bones (a hurricane approaches)
4. Charade — The Lies of Locke Lamora (lies are charades)
5. Agreeable alliteration — Bridge of Birds
6. Jackpot — Pachinko (Thanks for the idea, Meredith!)
7. Pawns — Pawn of Prophecy
8. An 8 or 21 — 1Q84
9. Dealer's choice — Infinite Jest
10. X marks the spot — Doxology
11. Murrderrrrr — I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
12. Back from the dead — Gideon the Ninth
13. Features a game or puzzle — A Desolation Called Peace (I’m assuming there will be the sorts of word games via poetry in this sequel that were in the first book.)
14. I have no gift for strategy — Tishomingo Blues (Leonard always features inept criminals in his capers)
15. Features best friends — Jhereg
16. Queen of hearts — Bring Up the Bodies
17. Role-play — The Night Masquerade
18. Amazing race — The Quick and the Dead
19. Taboo — A Woman Is No Man (About women resisting taboos)
20. Critical hit — All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony, I like your #13! I might have to steal it :)
Anna wrote: "Anthony, I like your #13! I might have to steal it :)"I think I'll have to semi-steal it as well (since I haven't read Memory Called Empire yet and it's on my RATB list).
Allison wrote: "Gabi wrote: "It's me again, the non-English speaking person. I need sb explain to me what #3 "Behind the eight ball" means. I tried to figure out the meaning by looking at what folks chose for thi..."
Oh, I didn't know there was a specific temporal dimension to the disadvantage, but thinking about its origin that makes total sense! Funny that I still ended up picking a book in which time plays a role for that one.
CBRetriever wrote: "Anna wrote: "Mareike, I want to hear how you like #12! I have it on my TBR because it has a story by Emma Newman, but I'm not a big Holmes fan, so haven't gotten around to it."
It's on mine too so..."
Go for it!
Just a start:1. Take a gamble: Harrow the Ninth
2. Red or black: Prison by Any Other Name: The Harmful Consequences of Popular Reforms
3. Behind the eight ball: The Best of All Possible Worlds
4. Charade:
5. Agreeable alliteration: Wicked Wonders
6. Jackpot: A Master of Djinn
7. Pawns:
8. An 8 or 21
9. Dealer's choice
10. X marks the spot: Xeni
11. Murrderrrrr: The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper
12. Back from the dead: Remote Control
13. Features a game or puzzle
14. I have no gift for strategy: Winter's Orbit
15. Features best friends
16. Queen of hearts: Fireheart Tiger
17. Role-play: Fugitive Telemetry
18. Amazing race
19. Taboo: Comforting Thoughts About Death That Have Nothing to Do with God
20. Critical hit
Explanations:
(view spoiler)
I love this! Looking forward to digging in, even though I'm still finishing up the 2020 one, haha. 1. Take a gamble
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
Gambit, gamble.
2. Red or black
The Red Tree by Caitlín R. Kiernan
I choose red.
3. Behind the eight ball
The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli
I feel I'm at quite a disadvantage reading this with my non-science background.
4. Charade
Company of Liars by Karen Maitland
It's likely in such a company there is a lot of charading going on.
5. Agreeable alliteration
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
I love alliteration.
6. Jackpot
The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
I'm assuming this is about a child's birthday party where she really makes out like a bandit.
Final Girls by Mira Grant
These "final girls" are pawns in a game/science experiment? I think?
8. An 8 or 21
The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch
Published in 2008.
9. Dealer's choice
Mort by Terry Pratchett
The ultimate card dealer is death, and it's almost always their choice.
10. X marks the spot
Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown
Pirates! Surely there's treasure. Maybe it's love.
11. Murrderrrrr
Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
Gotta be murder in this.
12. Back from the dead
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Necromancers are pretty on the nose for this prompt, but oh well.
13. Features a game or puzzle
Trouble in Nuala by Harriet Steel
It's a murder puzzle!
14. I have no gift for strategy
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
I love Vasya a whole, whole lot; she has many strengths. I'm not sure strategic thinking is one of them.
15. Features best friends
The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson
Nothing brings people together like ghosts and clubs.
The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
Blood and hearts, same thing, right?
17. Role-play
Mass Effect: Revelation by Drew Karpyshyn
A book based on an RPG!
18. Amazing race
Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst
Fantasy races! With magical beasts!
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Nothing more taboo than falling in love with the enemy.
20. Critical hit
Necropolis: London and Its Dead by Catharine Arnold
What happens after you take a critical hit?
3/20
Kari wrote: "I'm assuming this is about a child's birthday party where she really makes out like a bandit."Haha! :D
Between Mareike and Amanda I think I could choose most of the same ones. Thanks for the great ideas.
Challenging ones to assess. Perhaps these for starters.1. Take a gamble
The Grammarians
(Gambling with a family relation over language?)
2. Red or black
Friday Black
3. Behind the eight ball
Infinite Jest
(A tricky read, I've gathered)
4. Charade
A Clockwork Orange
5. Agreeable alliteration
When We Were Orphans
6. Jackpot
Hominids
("A Neanderthal physicist, accidentally pierces the barrier between worlds" sounds something of a jackpot)
7. Pawns
We
(In a totalitarian society)
8. An 8 or 21
New York 2140
9. Dealer's choice
The Divers' Game
10. X marks the spot
Saint X
11. Murrderrrrr
Your House Will Pay
12. Back from the dead
Silver in the Wood
(Figuratively)
13. Features a game or puzzle
A Town Called Discovery
(Puzzle of forgotten identity)
14. I have no gift for strategy
Luster
(Figuring out one's way in life)
15. Features best friends
The Time Traveler's Wife
16. Queen of hearts
Love and Other Thought Experiments
(Matters of heart?)
17. Role-play
Pew
(Assuming an identity?)
18. Amazing race
Night Boat to Tangier
19. Taboo
Original Sins
20. Critical hit
The World Without Us
(Game over)
Diane wrote: "Between Mareike and Amanda I think I could choose most of the same ones. Thanks for the great ideas."Hooray! I'm useful!
Mod
OK, here we go. I'm looking at other people's lists and considering making changes already, but here's what I've come up with to kick things off.1. Take a gamble – Sporting Chance – Elizabeth Moon. You want a sporting chance if you're taking a gamble, don't you?
2. Red or black – Black Leopard, Red Wolf – Marlon James. How about red AND black?
3. Behind the eight ball – Monday Begins on Saturday – Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Because I reckon I would be behind the eight ball if Monday began on Saturday.
4. Charade – The Prestige – Christopher Priest – Magic is a type of charade, isn’t it?
5. Agreeable alliteration – Sin City The Hard Goodbye – Frank Miller. Is it technically still alliteration if the letters are different?
6. Jackpot– The Big Time – Fritz Leiber. As in, hitting it.
7. Pawns – Saga, Vol. 8 – Brian K. Vaughan. The main characters in this series were pawns in a war between their worlds, but they’ve come to represent so much more.
8. An 8 or 21 – Neuromancer – William Gibson. 21st winner of the Nebula award for best novel (including co-winners).
9. Dealer's choice – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain. I played a game of high card/ low card, dividing my TBR list until I got down to one title.
10. X marks the spot – The Persian Expedition – Xenophon.
11. Murrderrrrr – The Fifth Season – N.K. Jemisin. The Goodreads synopsis mentions multiple Murrderrrrs so I guess this fits the bill.
12. Back from the dead – The Crow – James O’Barr – Eric Draven. RIP.
13. Features a game or puzzle – The Game-Players of Titan – Philip K. Dick.
14. I have no head for strategy – The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command – Andrew Gordon. A classic of naval strategy.
15. Features best friends – Post Captain – Patrick O’Brian. Aubrey and Maturin. An odd couple, but best friends nonetheless.
16. Queen of hearts – Sin City, Vol. 2: A Dame to Kill For – Frank Miller. Surely the Queen of Hearts is A Dame to Kill For?
17. Role-play – Broken Angels – Richard Morgan. Occupying a new body is the ultimate role play.
18. Amazing race – Grandpa's Great Escape – David Walliams. Go Grandpa!
19. Taboo – Jurassic Park – Michael Crichton. Bringing dinosaurs back to life sounds like a scientific taboo to me.
20. Critical hit – Hammerfall – C.J. Cherryh. BOOM!
Mod
Allison wrote: "Petar, I am so excited you picked the Crow, because that was the inspiration for that prompt!!"It was the first thing I thought of Allison. I've been meaning to read it for 30 odd years and finally bought it about a week ago. There's a good chance it will be my first read next year.
I'm trying to clear out some of my Humble Bundles and monthly Tor freebies, so my list has a lot of books I normally wouldn't read1. Take a gamble = Salvage Title by Kevin Steverson
Young adults find a jackpot at a salvage yard and attempt to win a contest
2. Red or black = Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein
Red is red
3. Behind the eight ball = Schismatrix Plus by Bruce Sterling
The main character is definitely behind the 8 ball as he's not part of either of the two main factions in this world
4. Charade = Vacuum Flowers by Michael Swanwick
Person masquerading as an implanted persona
5. Agreeable alliteration = Rats, Bats & Vats by Dave Freer
Usually alliterations is the first letter, but I'm choosing to go with the last three and this sounds interesting
6. Jackpot = Sargasso of Space by Andre Norton
A space crew wins the trad rights to a planet which might or might not be a jackpot
7. Pawns = Live Free or Die by John Ringo
Earthlings are pawns of an alien race
8. An 8 or 21 = Two Hundred and Twenty-One Baker Streets: An Anthology of Holmesian Tales Across Time and Space by David Thomas Moore
the only 21 in my TBR pile and I don't plan on tackling the only series I have that runs to an 8th book plus it will help my Short Story totals
9. Dealer's choice = Trader by Charles de Lint
a Dealer is also usually a trader
10. X marks the spot = The Black Chalice by Steven Savile
About a quest to find something (X will mark the spot I hope)
11. Murrderrrrr = Firewalk by Chris Roberson
Supernatural serial killer involving Voodoo fits the bill
12. Back from the dead = Reanimators by Pete Rawlik
I wouldn't normally read this book from a Humble Bundle, but is is about bringing people back from the dead
13. Features a game or puzzle = The Replicant War by Chris Kennedy
About a role playing video game as far as I can tell
14. I have no head for strategy = The Barbed Coil by J.V. Jones
I seem to remember reading this in paper format over 20 years ago and vaguely remember that the heroine had no head for strategy.
15. Features best friends = City of Bones by Martha Wells
Best friends from two different species
16. Queen of hearts = Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly
Love story of a late 30s couple with several children and she's queen of his heart
17. Role-play = One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence
Another one about a role playing game
18. Amazing race = A Star-Wheeled Sky by Brad R. Torgersen
Race to get to a new waypoint
19. Taboo = Darkness and Dawn by Andre Norton
About a young man forced from his clan because he is taboo (a mutant)
20. Critical hit = Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
Critically acclaimed book
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Jade City (other topics)Riot Baby (other topics)
Rendezvous with Rama (other topics)
Parable of the Sower (other topics)
Every Heart a Doorway (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Margaret Atwood (other topics)Margaret Atwood (other topics)
Steven Savile (other topics)
Mark Lawrence (other topics)
Mark Lawrence (other topics)
More...
We normally pull ideas for the TBR challenge from things in the world around us. And this year, that means we're all about games and binge watching things!
Sign up here! Keep track in this thread and/or your Personal challenge thread.
TB are you still reading? Next challenge starts in
3...
2...
1...
1. Take a gamble
2. Red or black
3. Behind the eight ball
4. Charade
5. Agreeable alliteration
6. Jackpot
7. Pawns
8. An 8 or 21
9. Dealer's choice
10. X marks the spot
11. Murrderrrrr
12. Back from the dead
13. Features a game or puzzle
14. I have no gift for strategy
15. Features best friends
16. Queen of hearts
17. Role-play
18. Amazing race
19. Taboo
20. Critical hit