SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
SciFi and Fantasy Book Challenge
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2023 TBR Cleanup Challenge
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finishedThrown out on her own, the heroine (not hero) has to survive and it looks like she'll be the expected saver of the world (2 more books here
Congratulations, Jacqie and CBRetriever! :)))
Two more and I'm up to 17/2020. Zero to hero -
7. Showstopper -
Latest reads: ✔️1. Only one - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang, Kate Wilhelm. This was the last prompt I had left to figure out when putting the list together.
I enjoyed it, but I wish it was a bit longer and explored stories of a few of the characters at more depth, instead of leaving the ending open at certain points in the story. 4/5
✔️13. Sweet Revenge - The Eyes of the Dragon, Stephen King.
I really enjoyed it, but it had too much animal cruelty mentions for me, which I particularly don't like in books, and maybe a few too many boogers and such. Without as much animal suffering it would have been a 4 for me, but as it is 3/5.
I'm now at 11/20 for this challenge.
Looks like many of you either completed the challenge or are very close. Congrats!
I don't think I will complete all of the titles by the end of the year, as I'm reading too many other books too, but I think I should get to at least 4 more. I'm curious how many I can get to before January. Another year pretty much flew past!
Meredith wrote: "Two more and I'm up to 17/20
20. Zero to hero - Djinn City, seems to describe the MC’s trajectory in this book. Switched to An Accident of Stars, where the MC initially struggles i..."
I want to read Djinn City next year Meredith :) Do you think you will give it another try?
MauQ wrote: Meredith wrote: "Two more and I'm up to 17/2020. Zero to hero - Djinn City, seems to describe the MC’s trajectory in this book. Switched to An Accident of Stars, where the MC initially struggles i..."
I want to read Djinn City next year Meredith :) Do you think you will give it another try? ..."
It is definitely near the top of my "to read" pile. It is also in the December Runners-up poll for fantasy, tied for first! (vote!)
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/1...
Meredith wrote: "MauQ wrote: Meredith wrote: "Two more and I'm up to 17/2020. Zero to hero - Djinn City, seems to describe the MC’s trajectory in this book. Switched to An Accident of Stars, where the MC initiall..."
Turns out I got my books mixed up, Dead Djinn Universe #1
A Master of Djinn is the one I thought about but this one also looks good, added to my wish list :))
MauQ wrote: "Meredith wrote: "MauQ wrote: Meredith wrote: "Two more and I'm up to 17/2020. Zero to hero - Djinn City, seems to describe the MC’s trajectory in this book. Switched to An Accident of Stars, wher..."
Master of Djinn is really good! As are the other stories set in that universe.
13. Sweet Revenge Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (view spoiler)Five to go. I think I might have a chance this year.
Aga wrote: "13. Sweet Revenge Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries [spoilers removed]Five to go. I think I might have a chance this year."
Congrats! 🥳
Aga wrote: "13. Sweet Revenge Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries [spoilers removed]Five to go. I think I might have a chance this year."
I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for you.
Monica wrote: "Finis!! See my list here"Congratulations, Monica! It was a great list, too :)
Monica wrote: "Finis!! See my list here"looking good!
Monica wrote: "Finis!! See my list here"Nicely done. Congrats!
Monica wrote: "Finis!! See my list here"Congratulations. Interesting list.
I’m still plugging away.
Oh dear! I just went back to my list and am mortified with how few I read. I blame the ADHD ... SQUIRREL! But there's still time to check off a few more before the end of the year.I'm so impressed with people who make it through their lists.
I feel the same way, Cheryl. Both being impressed and disappointed that I managed so little of my list. I also blame ADHD brain. But half the fun is seeing how I can slot books on my TBR into the prompts. I actually went through the books I actually read and swapped some of those for ones I didn’t and won’t manage and was amazed at how many fit. Then for the prompts left over I found different short books/stories. This was a month or so ago, but I can’t tell I’m not going to manage those either. Ah well!
Monica wrote: "Finis!! See my list here"Congratulations, Monica! I love the creativity in your picks (and so many interesting nonfiction titles - I may have to add some to my TBR for next year).
DivaDiane wrote: "I feel the same way, Cheryl. Both being impressed and disappointed that I managed so little of my list. I also blame ADHD brain. But half the fun is seeing how I can slot books on my TBR into the p..."I agree! I love puzzling out how I'm going to get my TBR books into the categories. And I like the idea of going back and tweaking the list with books I've read this year. Very sneaky.
Aaaand with ✔️10. Top 10 - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
I have only one book to complete the challenge! It's absolutely bonkers for me how I managed to read so many books this year (this book is also the 100th, I completed my 2023 Goodreads challenge a month in advance, can't believe it)!
Unfortunately, the book itself is not going to make my personal top 10. It was a nice and easy read, I did enjoy my time with it, but at the same time it felt a bit hollow and predictable. Even the half-twist in the end didn't save it for me.
Olga wrote: "Aaaand with ✔️10. Top 10 - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
I have only one book to complete the challenge! It's absolutely bonkers for me how I managed to read so m..."
Congratulations on completing your Goodreads challenge early, Olga! What is the final book you have left for this challenge?
Kaia wrote: "What is the final book you have left for this challenge?"14. Technical Challenge - Project Hail Mary
I'm waiting on it in Libby, should get it in a few weeks (*fingers crossed*).
Tried to apply the trick of swapping this one for something I've already read this year, but somehow nothing fits the bill. Even this option is a far cry from optimal, I relied only on the blurb for it. And I didn't actually liked The Martian very much, but decided to give Weir one more chance.
And thanks! ))
Olga wrote: "Kaia wrote: "What is the final book you have left for this challenge?"14. Technical Challenge - Project Hail Mary
I'm waiting on it in Libby, should get it in a few weeks (*fingers crossed*)."
I hope it arrives in time for you to read it by the end of the year! My son and I both really liked Project Hail Mary, and I found it to be a pretty fast read.
Kaia wrote: "My son and I both really liked Project Hail Mary"I'm so waiting for the time when I'll be able to share this SFF passion of mine with my boys! Hope I'll like it too ))
My update:1. Only One - Recursion by Blake Crouch (4.5/5) - this has been on my TBR since Dec 2019
2. Binary - The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders - a planet divided between permanent frozen darkness or eternal sunshine
3. Three's Company - Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou - descendants of the Fates
4. Four Corners of the Earth - The City & the City by China Miéville - I figure multiple dimensions should work
5. Five Finger Discount - The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
6. At Sixes and Sevens - Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch - pretty much covers Peter Grant's life
7. Showstopper - The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik - I adore the series but have yet to read the last book because then it will be over
8. Book Page Total Ends in 8 - Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher (4/5) - 248 pages
9. Nine to Five - Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (4/5)
10. Top 10 - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (4/5) top 10 fantasy from 2022
11. From the Library - Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (4/5)
12. Let's Try This Again - The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
13. Sweet Revenge - The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
14. Technical Challenge - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (4.5/5) - the audiobook is excellent as well
15. My Old Friend - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (4.5/5) - this whole series is an annual re-read
16. Scrumptious - A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
17. Cover with Only Text - Salvation Day by Kali Wallace (5/5) - it might be 2-tone, but it's just text
18. Around the Shelf - Book Lovers by Emily Henry (5/5) - she's a book rep, he's an editor, can't be more around the shelf than that
19. Bingeworthy - Qualify by Vera Nazarian (5/5) - the shortest book is 556 pages and I binged the entire series twice this year
20. Zero to Hero - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (4/5, DNF) I got about 80% through and just couldn’t take how harsh this world is
Elisa wrote: "My update:1. Only One - Recursion by Blake Crouch (4.5/5) - this has been on my TBR since Dec 2019
2. Binary - The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders - a planet divided betwee..."
wow, your #20 is one of my favorite fantasy books :(
✔️12. Let's try this again - The Voyage of the Sable Keech: The Second Spatterjay NovelLots of fun if you like this kind of thing.
18/20, 2. books to go.
It is sad in a way that the author went to so much work researching the topic and I just didn't find it worth the effort to read. For all the work the author must have done in research I found it a less than captivating work. The world-building is minimal since it is set in Napoleonic Europe, more or less. So unless you are very into the history of that time period you will not be too caught up with things that may be out of place. The characters are well-written and completely individual. While the characters are well written they are utterly and completely irredeemable. It is something that I find sad due to the fact that I have heard so many people say good things about this book. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Dj wrote: "It is sad in a way that the author went to so much work researching the topic and I just didn't find it worth the effort to read. For all the work the author must have done in research I found it a..."I am sorry to hear it didn't work for you! This book seems to be divisive ;) I see people on GR either loving it or not. I am firmly in the "I love this book" camp, but I can certainly see why it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. I hope your next read it better!
I have completed the challenge by finishing The Dragon Republic for prompt #20: "zero to hero".All books are here!
Banshee wrote: "I have completed the challenge by finishing The Dragon Republic for prompt #20: "zero to hero".All books are here!"
Congratulations, Banshee! You read some great books this year!
This is a "separated at birth" pairing. Each book matches both prompts. ✔️5 (or 17): Five Finger Discount: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power
✔️17 (or 5). Cover with text only, no images: My Own Kind of Freedom: A Firefly Novel
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism might be taken as just another "olds" rant about technology if it weren't so carefully researched, if it didn't make so much sense, and if the subjects (primarily Google and Facebook in this work) hadn't been caught with their hands deep in the cookie jar so, so many times. This is powerful and convincing but it's difficult reading at times. Having a stronger background in political and economic theory would probably have helped me there.
My Own Kind of Freedom never got to the point of having a "real" cover. It was written on spec for the rights holder. They declined to pick it up and so the author released it on his website as fanfic. Reading this took me back to those days when I was discovering Firefly, but also reminded me that it was the actors and their interactions that really made the show work for me. This book didn't capture that as well as I had hoped.
Progress: 20/20
Final challenge statistics:
Books that were in the start of the year challenge list: 6
Change in TBR list size by the end of the challenge: +14%
Full list: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Congrats all! Everyone is doing so well! ^_^
Congratulations on completing your challenge, Raucous!
Congratulations!I have one more.
10. Top 10 System Collapse - top 10 of my favorite SciFi series, ART and Murderbot are in my top 10 favorite nonhuman SciFi characters, and the book got into top ten in SciFi category in GR Choice Awards.
4 to go.
Alexandra wrote: "Dj wrote: "It is sad in a way that the author went to so much work researching the topic and I just didn't find it worth the effort to read. For all the work the author must have done in research I..."Ah, that explains it. Never found a taste for Tea. Maybe they should put in the description, that this book is a lot like drinking Tea and it would make it easier to choose the titles we read. Although the meat and potatoes category would be huge. So maybe not the range would be wildly abusive in that category. LOL.
Stephen wrote: "✔️9. Nine-to-five - 1632Better than I expected, a pretty good read.
19/20"
I enjoy the series. Although I will be the first to admit it is pretty much well-written pulp.
SciFi and Fantasy Book Club
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Watersong (other topics)The Grimoire of Grave Fates (other topics)
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The Ship of Stolen Words (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Charles Dickens (other topics)Julio Cortázar (other topics)
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Only One: Unity (a hive consciousness)
Binary: Two Doctors Gorski (magic clones?)
Three's Company: Bone Ship’s Wake (I finished the trilogy)
Four Corners of the Earth: Airborn (takes place on an airship)
Five Finger Discount: What the River Knows (about Egyptian artifact thefts)
At Sixes and Sevens: Howl’s Moving Castle
Showstopper: Stars and Smoke- pop star main character
BookPage # Ends in 8: Last Wild Horses
Nine to Five: Coral Bones (about marine biologists)
Top Ten: Jade Shards (Fonda Lee is a top 10 author for me)
From the Library: Turning Darkness into Light (it takes place in a private libary)
Let's Try This Again: The Faithless (second in a series)
Sweet Revenge: Iron Widow (mecha and revenge)
Technical Challenge: Upgrade (uplifting human consciousness)
My Old Friend: Peter Beagle Vol. 1 (reading him feels like visiting an old friend)
Scrumptious: Legends and Lattes
Cover with Text Only no Images: This Time Tomorrow
Around the Shelf: Mortal Heart (this has been on my bookshelves for a while)
Bingeworthy: Mammoths at the Gate (novella, and bingeworthy!
Zero to Hero: Swamp Thing (he didn't begin as a hero)
Five star reads from these: Iron Widow, Bone Ship's Wake
Four Stars: Legends and Lattes, This Time Tomorrow, Turning Darkness into Light, Airborn, Essential Peter Beagle, Mammoths at the Gate, Jade Shards
Three Stars: The Faithless, Unity, Upgrade, Coral Bones, What the River Knows, Last Wild Horses, Mortal Heart
Two Stars: Swamp Thing, Stars and Smoke
One Star: Two Doctors Gorski