The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
TASK HELP: Spring Challenge 2021
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50.1 - Chris MD's Task: Reliving the 70s
Far out! These books will work.Book 1
Even:
Odd:
Book 2
Even:
Odd:
Book 3
Even:
Odd:
All books in the Mary Russell series
Bummer, man! These books won't work.Book 1
Even:
Odd:
Book 2
Even:
Odd:
Book 3
Even:
Odd:
Mod
FYI, you have the City of Glass cover in both acceptable and not acceptable categories. ;)
Mod
sorry, that's my fault. Goodreads was being very cranky today. I'll fix it.
For option 1 even, does the book still have to meet the SRC rule of 100 pages minimum? For option 3 odd, I'm planning to read The Murder of Mary Russell. Sherlock Holmes and other Holmes characters feature prominently in the books. Will that work? I'm only asking because I was surprised this series wasn't in the list you included with the task post.
Thank you.
Mod
For option 3 odd, I'm planning to read The Murder of Mary Russell. Sherlock Holmes and other..."
All books must meet the 100 page minimum. That's an SRC rule.
2 - 6 - 1 (even - even - odd)Edited to reword the question:
Does it matter if the posthumous books for Book 3 (odd) are still written under the original author's name? For example, the last three books in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series were written by Brandon Sanderson who was hired by the estate, and Robert Jordan was still credited as the primary author.
I was also wondering about the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series for Book 3 - Odd. Would Island of the Mad work? (Or Castle Shade if I'm lucky enough to get an eARC or win the GR Giveaway)
Marie (UK) wrote: " I am assuming this works"Absolutely!
Kim wrote: "For option 1 even, does the book still have to meet the SRC rule of 100 pages minimum? For option 3 odd, I'm planning to read The Murder of Mary Russell. Sherlock Holmes and other..."
Since the books do include Sherlock Holmes as an active character, the Mary Russell series is acceptable. (For clarification, the Charlotte Holmes books by Brittany Cavallaro - where the main characters are descendants of the original Holmes and Watson - or the Charlotte Holmes books by Sherry Thomas - where the detective is a woman who uses the name Sherlock Holmes - don't work because the "real" Sherlock Holmes is not part of the story.)
Books still have to meet the 100 page requirement.
Joanne wrote: "Can I get The Day of the Jackal noted as Historical Fiction, please and thank you"It works! Awesome book!
Aprilleigh wrote: "2 - 6 - 1 (even - even - odd)Edited to reword the question:
Does it matter if the posthumous books for Book 3 (odd) are still written under the original author's name? For example, the last thre..."
Yes, that's fine. There are many series like that.
Lauren wrote: "Please confirm Stranger in My Arms for historical fiction. Currently 71 users.Thanks."
It works!
Hi! I would like to confirm that for Book 3, Even, Read a book with an MPG of historical fiction that was first published in the second half of the 20th century (1950-1999) I can read Like Water for Chocolate. The task did not specify whether Historical Fiction had to be a standalone genre. This novel has Historical > Historical Fiction listed and I wanted to be sure that would count!Thanks!
Meagan wrote: "Hi! I would like to confirm that for Book 3, Even, Read a book with an MPG of historical fiction that was first published in the second half of the 20th century (1950-1999) I can read [book:Like Wa..."Yes, that will work.
Kathy KSFor Book 1, Odd: Please verify the following cover. The figures are small, but the center rider is main character Bren Cameron, human male. All the rest are Atevi. You can spot Bren because he has blonde hair.
Kathy KSPlease verify these two as possibles for Book 3, Odd:
Question 1: The Last Days of Krypton, by Kevin J. Anderson.
This one gives the backstory of Jor-el and Lara, parents of Superman. From Wikipedia: “Jor-El, originally known as Jor-L, is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Jor-El first appeared in a newspaper comic strip in 1939 with Superman.” According to GR, Siegel died January 28, 1996.
Question 2: Sleepless Knights, by Mark H. Williams
Several of the characters in this one are King Arthur and some of his Roundtable knights, plus Merlin. (see GR description) Most of these characters have been around in one form or another since Medieval times, at least, so any "authors" are long deceased. Even the most recent "classic" rendition of the story, The Once and Future King was authored by T. H. White, who died January 17, 1964.
could you please verify
as historical fiction?
also, I would like to use
for Book 1: even. The hardcover has 224 pages, and there is no paperback edition. I have been trying to find out if it meets SRC requirements and was told to have it approved in the task thread
For Book 3, odd - The task seems to assume that we're reading a book where someone other than the original author continues the characters, but it doesnt actually say that. "A book that features characters created by a now deceased author" could still be the original book, or really even any stand-alone book where the author has died, since it created characters by a now-deceased author. Can you clarify?
Kathy wrote: "Kathy KSFor Book 1, Odd: Please verify the following cover. The figures are small, but the center rider is main character Bren Cameron, human male. All the rest are Atevi. You can spot Bren becau..."
I'm sorry but this won't work. You really can't tell anything about the figure in the center, and it's not enough to know it's the main male character. It's one of the reasons why I said no to silhouettes, and while this isn't a real silhouette, it sort of fits the same reasoning.
Kathy wrote: "Kathy KSPlease verify these two as possibles for Book 3, Odd:
Question 1: The Last Days of Krypton, by Kevin J. Anderson.
This one gives the backstory of Jor-el and Lara, parents ..."
I am seeking clarification on The Last Days of Krypton from the mods. It was my intention that the book should be a continuation of the story of the main character(s), rather than a story about a secondary or newly invented character. For that reason, Sleepless Knights definitely won't work.
Fly wrote: "could you please verify as historical fiction?"Noted as historical fiction.
Fly wrote: "also, I would like to use for Book 1: even. The hardcover has 224 pages, and there is no paperback edition. I have been trying to find out ..."Yes, that works.
Karen D wrote: "For Book 3, odd - The task seems to assume that we're reading a book where someone other than the original author continues the characters, but it doesnt actually say that. "A book that features ch..."I agree that this can be interpreted in different ways and am now working to clarify. I know that I intended it to be a continuation of the story of the main character from an original work. So the book has to feature Hercule Poirot, not just be about some detective who once worked with him. It has to be about Elizabeth and/or Darcy, and not the story of the coachman at Pemberly. I tried to keep the permutations to a minimum, but it is proving harder than I thought.
Julia wrote: "I was also wondering about the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series for Book 3 - Odd. Would Island of the Mad work? (Or Castle Shade if I'm lucky enough to get a..."
Yes - any book in the Mary Russell series will work.
noting here so i don't lose...i rolled 3, 2, 2 (odd, even, even) - now off to find books
Kathy wrote: "Kathy KSPlease verify these two as possibles for Book 3, Odd:
Question 1: The Last Days of Krypton, by Kevin J. Anderson.
This one gives the backstory of Jor-el and Lara, parents ..."
Hi Kathy - After further review, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no to The Last Days of Krypton too. The task description says "It must be clear from the GR description that it features the original main character(s) as a leading character (i.e., not “Charlotte” Holmes and not Sherlock’s brother’s second niece)." Since Superman (or even Kal-el) is the main character, a book that features his parents doesn't fit the bill.
Chris wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Kathy KSPlease verify these two as possibles for Book 3, Odd:
Question 1: The Last Days of Krypton, by Kevin J. Anderson.
This one gives the backstory of Jor-el and ..."
Thanks for the prompt answer.
Hi there. I have two books lined up for Book 3 (Odd) and I just wanted to be 100% sure they meet the requirements before I read one of them.First option: In The Night of the Triffids by Simon Clark (sequel to The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham) the summary says:
"At the end of The Day of the Triffids, the hero, Bill Masen, his wife, and four-year-old son leave the British mainland to join a new colony on the Isle of Wight. The Night of the Triffids takes up the story 25 years later. David Masen, the now grown-up son of Bill, is a pilot, still searching for a method of destroying the implacable triffid plant as it continues its worldwide march, seemingly intent on wiping out humankind."
So the son was in the first book but was not the main character.
Second Option: In The Massacre of Mankind by Stephen Baxter (sequel to The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells) the summary says:
"So when the signs of launches on Mars are seen, there seems little reason to worry. Unless you listen to one man, Walter Jenkins, the narrator of Wells' book."
The narrator was the main character in the original book, but was unnamed. This sequel has given him a name and carried on the story.
Thanks in advance.
TraceyL wrote: "Hi there. I have two books lined up for Book 3 (Odd) and I just wanted to be 100% sure they meet the requirements before I read one of them.First option: In [book:The Night of the Triffids|812874..."
Tracey - I'm going to say no to both of these. Night of the Triffids definitely isn't about the "main" characters, and from what I can find online, it looks like the main character in The Massacre of Mankind is some relation to the narrator in War of the Worlds.
Would any of these work for Book 1, Odd?
Chris wrote: "Karen D wrote: "For Book 3, odd - The task seems to assume that we're reading a book where someone other than the original author continues the characters, but it doesnt actually say that. "A book ..."Ok thanks - I understand the permutations thing, but my question is about whether we can use a book by the original author and it sounds like we can't. Original author is dead - new author takes over. Correct?
Chris wrote: "TraceyL wrote: "Hi there. I have two books lined up for Book 3 (Odd) and I just wanted to be 100% sure they meet the requirements before I read one of them.First option: In [book:The Night of the..."
Ok, I'll find something else. Thanks.
Hi again. For Book 3 Odd would Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan work? Jane is Tarzan's love interest in the original books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I would consider them both main characters. The summary says it was authorized by the original author's estate and calls it a sequel. Thanks.
if anyone is still looking for a book for 3 odd, I had planned on
(and then I rolled even LOL)
Will this work for Book 3 (odd)? Tales of Dune: Expanded EditionIt's a collection of short stories spread throughout the Dune saga, written by Frank Herbert's son, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson following Frank Herbert's death in 1986.
The GR description specifically mentions Paul Atreides, arguably one of the most important characters in the original Dune, although the sweeping nature of the Dune saga strongly means he is but one of many main characters. Even in the Dune books written by Frank Herbert himself, he was a primary character in only the first two books.
According to the Wikipedia descriptions of the short stories in this book, other main characters from the original series that show up include Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck.
Julia wrote: "Would any of these work for Book 1, Odd?[bookcover:Spooks, Spies, and Private Eyes: An Anthology of Black Mystery, Cri..."
Any of the three will work.
Karen D wrote: "Chris wrote: "Karen D wrote: "For Book 3, odd - The task seems to assume that we're reading a book where someone other than the original author continues the characters, but it doesnt actually say ..."Yes, the idea is that another writer has carried on with the story of the MAIN characters created by the dead author.
Aprilleigh wrote: "Will this work for Book 3 (odd)? Tales of Dune: Expanded EditionIt's a collection of short stories spread throughout the Dune saga, written by Frank Herbert's son, Brian, and Kev..."
Yes, it's part of the series, so it's good to go.
Chris wrote: "Aprilleigh wrote: "Will this work for Book 3 (odd)? Tales of Dune: Expanded EditionIt's a collection of short stories spread throughout the Dune saga, written by Frank Herbert's ..."
Awesome! That covers book 3, I swapped a couple of books around for book 1, so I just need to find one for book 2
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
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The 70s bring back so many memories for me! I was a teenager and there was so much to see, learn, and do. So we're going to take a trip down my memory lane and look at the fashion, music, and book trends of the decade.
For this task you will need to go to Random.org and roll three dice. Note the numbers from left to right. Each die will correspond to books 1-3. If the number is even, read a book that meets the requirement listed for even, and if the number is odd, read a book that meet those requirements. REQUIRED: List your numbers in your post.
Your books must total at least 750 pages, and no books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
Book 1: Fashion
Even: Hot Pants – Who wears short shorts? We wear short shorts! The fashion trend of the early 70s. Read a book of 250 pages or less.
Odd: Leisure suits – The 70s are known for a lot of bad fashion, but surely nothing was as bad as the leisure suit. In honor of all the fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and brothers who donned the popular pocketed suit of polyester, read a book with at least one man on the cover.
It must be clearly and unambiguously a human male figure - no silhouettes or abstract drawings. Anything from young adult to senior citizen is acceptable but no male children.
REQUIRED: You must include the cover of the book in your post.
Acceptable examples:
Won't work:
Book 2: Music
Even: Good-Bye Yellow Brick Road – I’m not sure I know anyone my age who did not own this album. All the songs were written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
Read a book by a single author whose initials (all initials) are found in Elton John OR Bernie Taupin.
Odd: Rumours – This is probably my favorite album of all-time. Read a book with one of these words in the title (subtitles not included): DON’T STOP GO YOUR OWN WAY GOLD DUST WOMAN. Words must match exactly.
Book 3: Books
Even: Blockbuster Historical Fiction: Bestsellers of the decade included Michener’s Centennial and Chesapeake, Wouk’s The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, McCullough’s The Thorn Birds.
Read a book with an MPG of historical fiction that was first published in the second half of the 20th century (1950-1999).
Odd: Death Comes as the End, or Does It? – Agatha Christie died in 1976, but Hercule Poirot lives on in the new series by Sophie Hannah. David Lagercrantz has picked up from Stieg Larsson. There are dozens of books about Sherlock Holmes or Elizabeth Bennet not written by their creators.
Read a book that features characters created by a now deceased author, but written by a different author as a continuation of the original work(s). It must be clear from the GR description that it features the original main character(s) as a leading character (i.e., not “Charlotte” Holmes and not Sherlock’s brother’s second niece).You will find numerous Holmes and Austen pastiche lists on GR. Here is another list that may help, but be sure to check that the book meets SRC rules and that the book actually fits the task (books may be added to a list that do not actually fit).
Novel Series Continued After Death of Original Author
REQUIRED: In your post, state the name of the original author and the date of their death.