March Madness 2024 - Round 3 (Voting Ended March 11th)

[Rob, Roberator]

Round 2 has concluded and the field is now down to 4 books.

Round 3 begins now

Bracket: https://challonge.com/anqrgjo2


Round 3 will be March 5th-11th 11:59 PM ET


---------------------------------

Sword Finale:

(8) Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

vs.

(5) Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Vote Here



Laser Finale:

(7) Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

vs.

(3) Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Vote Here

[Scott]

Crushed. Think I might have to read The Steerswoman anyway.

[Jen]

I was looking forward to reading Hitchhikers Guide as a group.

[John]

The thing I love about this little competition is that the round by round results are often so unexpected. :-)

[Misti]

Jen wrote: "I was looking forward to reading Hitchhikers Guide as a group."

Same but there's always a chance it will get picked later.

[Oaken]

Where do you even find Dungeon Crawler Carl? My library hasn’t heard of it. It isn’t on kobo.

[Rob, Roberator]

Oaken wrote: "Where do you even find Dungeon Crawler Carl? My library hasn’t heard of it. It isn’t on kobo."

It's on Amazon (kindle/audible/paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Crawle...

Not sure if it's available from any other sellers though if you're trying to avoid Amazon.

[Phil On The Hill]

Sort of like this process as the results are bonkers. Not very democratic though.

[Paul]

Rob wrote: "Oaken wrote: "Where do you even find Dungeon Crawler Carl? My library hasn’t heard of it. It isn’t on kobo."

It's on Amazon (kindle/audible/paperback)"
I checked out the Publisher, Dandy House, and it seems like it's just the author self-publishing, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's an Amazon-only deal. And Amazon does not play nice with libraries.

[John (Taloni)]

Free to read on KU or $5 to buy. Not bad for a 450 page book. I didn't have "read a LitRPG book" on my bingo card for the year, but let's see what the voters say!

[John (Nevets)]

Speaking of that. Carl is on a slight sale on Audible this month. I'm not sure if you have to have an active subscription to get the deal or not. It is $6.99 currently, so at least it's less then a credit.

I wouldn't vote for it just because of that, but if it does win, we will have a week or so to pick it up after the tournament.

[Randy]

I love Douglas Adams and celebrate the 25th of May every year but ...

Bujold is Awesome!

[Renn]

Oh man I love the synopsis of Dungeon Crawler Carl 😂 looks like a goofy good time

[John (Taloni)]

^ If you like it there's five more! I'm kinda curious how the vote will go. I'm already adding to my TBR and this one might make it regardless.

[Christos]

I’m so happy to see DCC make it so far, I’ve been recommending the book for months

[Iain]

Renn wrote: "Oh man I love the synopsis of Dungeon Crawler Carl 😂 looks like a goofy good time"

It looks awful, I am prepared to be suprised.

[Dave]

Renn wrote: "Oh man I love the synopsis of Dungeon Crawler Carl 😂 looks like a goofy good time"
And Amazon has the first five books on Kindle for $25!

[J]

I'll definitely be reading Dungeon Crawler Carl, whether it wins or not. It's either going to be really amazing or absolutely terrible.

Hard call on the 5 for 5 deal. If the first book is great, that would be a good purchase. If you hate it, that's $25 for one book.

[Papa MRF]

I too, am crushed by Hitchhiker's defeat. It would be an excellent alternate pick the next time there is a need for one.

[terpkristin]

If we ever did read Hitchhiker, we should do some movie watchalongs, too. Maybe the BBC one and the one from the 2000’s or whatever.

[John (Taloni)]

I'd watch the one from the 2000s again just to be inclusive, but gah that Zaphod head "solution" was terrible. From what I saw of the BBC mini it captured the feel of the books better.

But...maybe the original audio dramas. I never got around to those. From what I have heard, it was all the silly stuff they could make up on short notice, and is hilarious.

[Zac]

If Dungeon Crawler Carl wins, I highly recommend the audiobooks. The reader sounds a lot like Patrick Warburton, and the real Patrick Warburton shows up in one of the later books.

[J]

The radio drama is good and very similar to the books. but since the first two books is essentially a rewrote of the radio drama, it comes across as an inferior first draft.

The BBC version is amazing. I never want to see the American film adaptation again.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Zac wrote: "If Dungeon Crawler Carl wins, I highly recommend the audiobooks. The reader sounds a lot like Patrick Warburton, and the real Patrick Warburton shows up in one of the later books."

Never heard of him. The name makes me hungry for bread.

https://www.warburtons.co.uk/products...

[John (Taloni)]

"Warburtons: The bread you eat with a SPOOOOOOON!"

[J]

You definitely know who Patrick Warburton is. He has been in so many properties. But the thing I always remember him for is his big break as David Puddy on Seinfeld.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

I looked him up. Apparently he was in an episode Quantum Leap and 4 episodes of Agents of Shield that I’ve seen, but I guess he didn’t stand out. Looks like he’s mostly a voice actor, but not for anything I’ve watched/played. I’m sure he’s swell. *shrugs*

(Never seen Seinfeld)

[Tamahome]

He was Tim Allen's work parking lot bully in Joe Somebody, a movie I've watched a million times. Great soundtrack too.

The Verve Pipe - Happiness Is https://youtu.be/btvAKDZUEOE?si=2TlkV...

[John (Taloni)]

And...the Tick in the live action show. Where his battle cry was "Spoon."

grumblegrumble people got no respect for the classics. it had batmanuel! and american maid!

[Mark]

Don't forget Arthur

[John (Nevets)]

Probably US centric, but he did a lot of commercials as well. Probably the most memorable to me was his National Rental Car ones.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

Yeah, I’m sure there are plenty of folk us in the UK consider household names that will mean nothing to someone from the US.

[J]

Yup. Those classic British comedies, Seinfeld and The Tick.

I was a big fan of the Tick as well, Taloni, the cartoon is from my little brother's era and I used to watch it with him. Then when I found out Warburton was doing the live action version, I tuned in for every episode on its initial airing. But it still seems lost to time, having been cancelled so early.

Similarly, he had a memorable role in The Emperor's New Groove, and given his distinct voice, shows up as a voice actor quite often. The biggest of those roles, I think, is in The Venture Bros. But all of those properties are the type that you've either seen/loved or never heard of (cult classics).

Maybe he's just the kind of the 'that guys'.

[Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth]

J wrote: "Yup. Those classic British comedies, Seinfeld and The Tick."

John said the adverts this dude is known for are likely to be US centric. I was agreeing with him and adding that there will be folk that I, as a Brit, will consider household names that aren’t well known, or known at all, to folk in the US. I wasn’t trying to claim two very American shows for my home country, just agreeing that this is probably why my only association with the name Warburton is bread, which is, I’m guessing, and rather ironically, a brand you’re probably not familiar with in the US.

[J]

https://youtu.be/QOvQNrCedHE?si=Pd42j...

He was in Men in Black II and the remake of Get Smart. Pretty much anytime you want someone who looks and sounds like nobody else (could pass as an Alien or Robot) you can rely on Wallace Shawn and Patrick Warburton.

[Alex]

I am very surprised Hitchhiker's didn't make it. That was my bet for March Madness as I still haven't read it 😅

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

For me Patrick Warburton is Joe Swanson from "Family Guy"

[John]

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "Yeah, I’m sure there are plenty of folk us in the UK consider household names that will mean nothing to someone from the US."

I agree with you Ruth.

I had never heard of Patrick Warburton prior to this thread, and when I Googled him I didn't have an "Oh him" moment.

[John]

J wrote: "The radio drama is good and very similar to the books. but since the first two books is essentially a rewrote of the radio drama, it comes across as an inferior first draft.

The BBC version is ama..."

I would definitely be up for a group read of Hitchhikers, that is a great suggestion.

I remember watching that BBC drama series from when it aired on UK television first time around in the early 80s. It was great fun. Being a young 'un I didn't appreciate how satirical and subversive it was.

It was very much of its time and sadly bits of it have not aged well - this thread made me look at some clips on YouTube and I rather wish I hadn't! :-)

I don't mind the 2005 film - certain segments make me laugh out loud. The Vogon slapsticks comes to mind as being well done :-D

Like all media it is its own thing and I can quite happily separate it from other interpretations.

[J]

For me, The Hitchhiker's Guide books are always an alternate read, that I pick up at any time.

(Although, I think I've only ever actually read the third book once, while it has the best title, I really don't get all of the Cricket references, since I've always played baseball.)

I have my softbound original copies of each book and a hard bound, black complete edition - that looks like a bible.

I always tell people that that one is my bible (and since bible means library - it literally is!)

[Paul]

I think Hitchhiker's Guide is such a staple that we don't really need to read it as a group. It would be a re-read for almost everybody, and because it's almost universally loved, the conversation would probably be mostly people saying "I love this part" and "I didn't remember that part," or "coming back to this after x years, this aspect is more/less interesting."
So as much as I enjoyed that book and would be down for a re-read, I'm not sad at all that it didn't move on and I don't really think it needs to be a book of the month for this group.

And my favourite Warburton is easily Cronk, specifically when he talks to squirrels. "Squeak squeak, squeaker, squeaken." Always makes me smile.

[Rob, Roberator]

Results from Round 3:

View the full bracket: https://challonge.com/anqrgjo2

Tournament Statistics
Total Votes Cast: 3,920
Average Votes Cast: 290
Book With Most Votes: Dungeon Crawler Carl - (163 Votes) (Round 2)
Match-up With Most Votes: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries vs. Dungeon Crawler Carl (317 Votes) (Round 3)
Largest Win: Cordelia's Honor - (45 Votes) (Round 1)
Smallest Win: Cordelia's Honor - (1 Vote) (Round 2)
Average Win: 18 votes

Round 3 Statistics
Total Votes Cast: 631
Average Votes Cast: 316
Book With Most Votes: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries - (162 Votes)
Match-up With Most Votes: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries vs. Dungeon Crawler Carl (317 Votes)
Largest Win: Cordelia's Honor- (8 Votes)
Smallest Win: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries - (7 Vote)
Average Win: 8 votes


---------------------------------

Sword Final:

(8) Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - 162 Votes

vs.

(5) Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman - 155 Votes


Winner: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Total Votes: 317
Margin of Victory: 7

---------------------------------


Laser Final:

(3) Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold - 161 Votes

vs.

(7) Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh - 153 Votes


Winner: Cordelia's Honor
Total Votes: 314
Margin of Victory: 8

[Rob, Roberator]

Bracket check-in

https://challonge.com/anqrgjo2/predic...


Our top 3 brackets now are:

- Untitled - by Anonymous predicting: none - (I guess they forgot to choose a winner. oops)
- Because Bujold is Awesome - by Anonymous predicting Cordelia's Honor
- EWEoF - by Anonymous predicting Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

If the first bracket had predicted a winner they would have had a shot at winning since they accurately predicted the finals. However they are maxed out on points so the winning bracket comes down which of 2nd and 3rd place brackets gets the winner correct!