Bill's Part Deux - A 12 + 0 - Short Sci Fi Adventures (completed 10 books)

[Bill, Moderator]

I'm not finished my first 12 + 4 challenge but have made good progress on it. I've been going through my books and decided I wanted to make another list, but just a 12 + 0... no Alternates. They are all Sci Fi (I think). I basically picked them by # of pages and when they were originally published; less than 250 pages and earliest publications. Whittle it down to these 12.

1. A Circus of Hells by Poul Anderson (Ensign Flandry #2 / 1966) 189 pages, started 29 May, finished 9 Jun, 2.0 stars
2. The Big Jump by Leigh Brackett (1955) 128 pages, started 9 Jun, finished 13 Jun, 4.0 stars
3. The Caves of Night by John Christopher (1958) 184 pages, started 13 Jun, finished 2 Jul, 4.0 stars
4. Kronk by Edmund Cooper (1970) 160 pages, started 2 Jul, finished 10 Jul, 2.5 stars
5. Time Gladiator by Mack Reynolds (Joe Mauser #4 / 1964) 192 pages, started 10 Jul, finished 2 Aug, 3.0 stars
6. Pavane by Keith Roberts (1968) 191 pages, started 2 Aug, finished 28 Aug, 3.0 stars
7. The Time Hoppers by Robert Silverberg (1967) 196 pages, started 28 Aug, finished 18 Sep, 4.5 stars
8. Cosmic Engineers by Clifford D. Simak (1950) 159 pages, started 18 Sep, finished 14 Oct, 3.0 stars
9. Beyond the Black Enigma by Bart Somers (1965) 156 pages, started 14 Oct, finished 4 Nov, 2.0 stars
10. Chocky by John Wyndham (1968) 153 pages, started 4 Nov, finished 25 Nov, 4.0 stars
11. Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore (1953) 194 pages, Did not read, moved to 2025
12. Level 7 by Mordecai Roshwald (1959) 183 pages, Did not read, moved to 2025

Completed: 10

[Lea]

I like this list! Hope you enjoy your books.

[Ioana]

Good luck! They are all short, hope they are all enjoyable, happy reading!

[Bill, Moderator]

Ioana wrote: "Good luck! They are all short, hope they are all enjoyable, happy reading!"

Lea wrote: "I like this list! Hope you enjoy your books."

Thank you, both. I hope so too.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

I don't have any, and I don't think the date has anything to do with it. Mmmmm.

I really shouldn't look at these.... smh

[Bill, Moderator]

Alondra wrote: "I don't have any, and I don't think the date has anything to do with it. Mmmmm.

I really shouldn't look at these.... smh"

I think they're sort of pulp Sci Fi in many cases.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Bill wrote: "Alondra wrote: "I don't have any, and I don't think the date has anything to do with it. Mmmmm.

I really shouldn't look at these.... smh"

I think they're sort of pulp Sci Fi in many cases."

I will check them out. :)

[Bill, Moderator]

Finished my first book in this challenge, A Circus of Hells by Poul Anderson (Flandry #2). Not a classic in my mind but entertaining. 2.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Big Jump by Leigh Brackett is next

[Bill, Moderator]

My review of The Big Jump by Leigh Brackett. Most enjoyable (4.0 stars)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line might be more horror than Sci Fi, but all the same, it's The Caves Of Night by John Christopher

[Bill, Moderator]

My review of The Caves Of Night by John Christopher, which it turns out, isn't Sci Fi but is still a tense story. 4.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next story is Sci Fi, Kronk by Edmund Cooper

[Karol]

Bill wrote: "My review of The Caves Of Night by John Christopher, which it turns out, isn't Sci Fi but is still a tense story. 4.0 stars

"

LOL, Bill. Your saying that it isn't Sci Fi made the book seem interesting to me. Aside from a few books (Dune, and a couple by Ray Bradbury), I've not enjoyed Sci Fi all that much. But I wish I did and I like seeing your reviews in case something grabs my interest.

[Bill, Moderator]

Karol wrote: "Bill wrote: "My review of The Caves Of Night by John Christopher, which it turns out, isn't Sci Fi but is still a tense story. 4.0 stars

"

LOL, Bill. Your saying ..."

I hope something does. Sci Fi is very wide ranging. 😃

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Bill wrote: "My review of The Big Jump by Leigh Brackett. Most enjoyable (4.0 stars)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line might be more horror than Sci F..."

Added!

Good job on making progress. 3 down already!

[Bill, Moderator]

Alondra wrote: "Bill wrote: "My review of The Big Jump by Leigh Brackett. Most enjoyable (4.0 stars)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line might be more horr..."

They are all very short books, Alondra. 😎

[Bill, Moderator]

Finished my 4th book in this challenge, Kronk by Edmund Cooper 2.5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line is Time Gladiator by Mack Reynolds

[Bill, Moderator]

Finished my 5th book in this challenge, Time Gladiator by Mack Reynolds (Joe Mauser #4). Interesting but not great. 3.0 stars. If only I'd known there were 3 other books in the series.. LOL

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line is Pavane by Keith Roberts

[Bill, Moderator]

My review of #6 in this challenge - Pavane by Keith Roberts. It was very thoughtfully written but I don't think I got it. 3.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line is The Time Hoppers by Robert Silverberg

[Bill, Moderator]

My review of The Time Hoppers by Robert Silverberg 4.5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is Cosmic Engineers by Clifford D. Simak

[Bill, Moderator]

My review of the 8th book in this challenge, Cosmic Engineers by Clifford D. Simak 3.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line is Beyond the Black Enigma by Bart Somers

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Great job knocking out this list, Bill!! 8 already!

[Bill, Moderator]

Alondra wrote: "Great job knocking out this list, Bill!! 8 already!"

Thanks, Alondra. They were all specifically very short.. LOL

[Bill, Moderator]

My review of Beyond the Black Enigma by Bart Somers 2.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next is Chocky by John Wyndham

[Dee]

what a great idea, Bill! Maybe I will do two lists for 2025! good luck!

[Bill, Moderator]

Dee wrote: "what a great idea, Bill! Maybe I will do two lists for 2025! good luck!"

I've got two lists started for 2025 as well. Thanks, Dee.

[Bill, Moderator]

I'll only complete 10 books in this challenge. The remaining two will move back to my TBR shelf (ves) for 2025 and beyond! Sorting out what I will be able to finish in 2024.. LOL

[Bill, Moderator]

My review of the last book I will read in this challenge. It's a good 'un. Chocky by John Wyndham 4.0 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...