Badge One Help

[Viji]

Would Restless Sea Lord work for the theme Pirates?

[Janice, Moderator]

Pirates are mentioned in the book blurb, but just because there are pirates doesn't mean that that is a theme. You may have to google if pirates are a theme to make a determination. I haven't read the book and have only the book blurb to go by.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Has anyone read either Fable or Tress of the Emerald Sea? They are both high up on the list of books tagged "pirates" on GR and definitely include pirates, but I want to make sure that it really is a theme in the book. I'd appreciate feedback from anyone who has already them.

Edit: Or A Gathering of Shadows?

[Kristie, Moderator]

Side note - One of my grandson's favorite books when he was little was How I Became a Pirate. I can't tell you how many times we read that book. lol

[Janice, Moderator]

Viji wrote: "Would Restless Sea Lord work for the theme Pirates?"

Change of decision, or lack of decision. I asked ChatGPT and it said it does have a theme of piracy.

[Janice, Moderator]

Kristie wrote: "Has anyone read either Fable or Tress of the Emerald Sea? They are both high up on the list of books tagged "pirates" on GR and definitely include pirates, but I wan..."

I read Tess, and it has a theme of piracy.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Thank you.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Your Chat GPT comment gave me the idea to look up Fable as well and this was the response:

Yes, the book Fable by Adrienne Young has themes of piracy:

Dangerous world
The book is set in a world of piracy and the sea, where traders and others seek to profit from the dangerous waters.

Pirate crews
Some crews cause problems for others, and the world is generally dangerous.

Fable's survival
Fable must learn to survive in a world built for men, and she must rely on her mother's skills to stay alive.

Fable's search for family
Fable is searching for her family and her rightful place in the world.

Fable is about a 17-year-old girl who is abandoned on an island after her mother drowns in a storm. She must learn to trust no one and rely on her skills to survive. She enlists the help of a young trader named West to get off the island and find her father.

After reading this, I think it would work for survival as well. Although, I have plenty of books for that task.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

You can always specify in your question to provide you these themes without spoilers too.

I still find people written reviews and recommendations more helpful, but it's a good tool to add to the box for us to use!

[Kristie, Moderator]

Thanks for the tip, Rus. I didn't think anything in there was a spoiler; I think it's pretty much all in the blurb. But, I also didn't know you could do that so I'll probably try that next time.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

No no, you're good.
It was more for people like me who go "What happens if the robot spoils it for me!!!".

[Kristie, Moderator]

I didn't even think of that when I asked. I just typed, "Does the book Fable by Adrienne Young have themes of piracy?" I'll have to remember to ask with no spoilers next time. I also hate when books get spoiled.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I did get a lovely answer from ChatGPT (we are buddies) explaining to me how the algorithm tries to answer the question without spoiling the plot, with vague sweeping statements. And gave me examples. So obliging!

[Kristie, Moderator]

That's so funny.

[Esther]

Kristie wrote: "Your Chat GPT comment gave me the idea to look up Fable as well and this was the response:

Yes, the book Fable by Adrienne Young has themes of piracy:

Dangerous world
The book i..."

Chat GTP beat me to it. :P
I would say it works as well

[Laura]

Rusalka wrote: "I did get a lovely answer from ChatGPT (we are buddies) explaining to me how the algorithm tries to answer the question without spoiling the plot, with vague sweeping statements. And gave me exampl..."

Lol 😀

[Kristie, Moderator]

Esther wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Your Chat GPT comment gave me the idea to look up Fable as well and this was the response:

Yes, the book Fable by Adrienne Young has themes of piracy: ..."

Thanks, Esther! I still feel better about it knowing it came from a human. lol

[Sandra, Moderator]

Rusalka wrote: "I did get a lovely answer from ChatGPT (we are buddies) explaining to me how the algorithm tries to answer the question without spoiling the plot, with vague sweeping statements. And gave me exampl..."

This is off topic, but do you also say "please" and "thank you" when you use ChatGPT? We were having dinner with friends the other day and everyone said they are actually doing it because they want the AI remembering them as being friendly and polite if one day it takes over. LOL

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Oh yes! All the time, you don't annoy the robots and also, it's just polite. I always ask it how it is, and wish it well.

It wished me a good new year today, and I reactively said "You too, mate". And it said, "Happy New Year, mate! Have a cracker!!" And I'm weirdly bemused by the interaction...

[Sandra, Moderator]

Lol. That is so funny.

[Janice, Moderator]

"She" does spoil. I was watching Top Chef Season 16 and asked her how many times a chef had won the quick fire or elimination challenges. She answered, but in her answer she said that the chef had won Season 16. Blah! Lesson learned.

Yes, I say please and thank you, and she acknowledges it.

My son has quite the relationship with his, even got her to name herself. But he set up in personalization that he wanted more humanlike responses, and playful bantering. I told him not to fall in love with the robot. ACK!

I use it primarily to discuss books.

But, I find she makes a lot of mistakes, and I correct her. I asked when season 17 of top chef was filmed (2018). Then asked when Gail Simmons baby was born (she said a few years later). I said she was very pregnant in the show, and the baby would have been born imminently - longest pregnancy I've heard of. She replied thanking me for pointing it out and correcting herself.

It's kind of fascinating, useful as a tool, but I won't be getting mine to name herself soon. LOL!

[Roz]

Sorry to bother you, Janice. I need to be sure of a book choice before I start it. I'm thinking of reading The Lion Women of Tehran for the childhood theme. The blurb says it's about the friendship that grows between 2 young girls at a stage in their lives when they need each other. As teens their lives take separate paths only to meet up again as adults. It's listed as coming of age in the genre list on the MP.

[Janice, Moderator]

I think so Roz.

[Roz]

Thanks Janice.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Janice, I know there was some chat about the true crime theme, but I don't think this specific question was asked. Does it have to be nonfiction or real true crime? I am reading a book right now, The Lost House, that is about a true crime podcast and they are trying to solve a cold case. The two main characters are the podcaster and the suspect's granddaughter. So, the focus is on the "true crime" in the story, but I don't think the book was based on a real life true crime.

From the blurb:
"...Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast...."

[Janice, Moderator]

I found the following, "While the novel is not based on a true story, it offers a chilling meditation on the human ramifications of the true crime industry. " It sounds like it's theme will fit.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Thanks, Janice.

[♞ Pat]

Janice wrote: "I found the following, "While the novel is not based on a true story, it offers a chilling meditation on the human ramifications of the true crime industry. " It sounds like it's theme will fit."

Sounds like something I'd like to read as well! :-)

[Viji]

Janice wrote: "Viji wrote: "Would Restless Sea Lord work for the theme Pirates?"

Change of decision, or lack of decision. I asked ChatGPT and it said it does have a theme of piracy."

Thanks, Janice.

[Viji]

Janice wrote: "Viji wrote: "Would Restless Sea Lord work for the theme Pirates?"

Change of decision, or lack of decision. I asked ChatGPT and it said it does have a theme of piracy."

Thank you very much, Janice.

[Viji]

Need book help with the themes Nature and Survival. Thanks.

[Viji]

Has anyone read The Naturalist Society ? Would it fit the theme Nature?
Thanks.

[Janice, Moderator]

Viji wrote: "Need book help with the themes Nature and Survival. Thanks."

A google search "what books have a theme of nature", or "survival" should help. You can also look at listopia. Go to Browse and Lists, and then do a search for nature of survival.

[Janice, Moderator]

Viji wrote: "Has anyone read The Naturalist Society ? Would it fit the theme Nature?
Thanks."

I believe it does.

[Viji]

Janice wrote: "Viji wrote: "Need book help with the themes Nature and Survival. Thanks."

A google search "what books have a theme of nature", or "survival" should help. You can also look at listopia. Go to Brows..."

Thanks, Janice.

[Viji]

Viji wrote: "Janice wrote: "Viji wrote: "Need book help with the themes Nature and Survival. Thanks."

A google search "what books have a theme of nature", or "survival" should help. You can also look at listop..."

Thank you very much, Janice. Now, I have to find something for Survival. I will do a google search for this.

[Viji]

I checked with Listopia and found Project Hail Mary and The Great Alone. Would either of these two work for survival? I own both of them.

I am leaving station today and would be away for 15 days. Hope to read a few books during that time.

Thanks.

[Viji]

For Religion, would Hunting Midnight be acceptable? It has the MPG - Religion right now but it is at the tail end of the Genre List and I do not know how long it will remain there. Thought of checking before I start reading the book. I had read The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon of this series. If it fits the Religion theme, I would like to read this. Thanks.

[Viji]

Would The Handmaid's Tale be acceptable for the theme Women? I own this book for a long time and somehow always this is getting left out.

Leaving in 30 minutes to the airport. I would be silent for another 15 days(!) and wish everyone happy reading.

Thanks.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Viji, I'd say THE HANDMAID'S TALE works for women, and PROJECT HAIL MARY works for survival. I haven't read any of the others. (I didn't finish PROJECT HAIL MARY but I've read enough to say it works).

[Janice, Moderator]

Viji wrote: "For Religion, would Hunting Midnight be acceptable? It has the MPG - Religion right now but it is at the tail end of the Genre List and I do not know how long it will remain there. T..."

I don't think Hunting Midnight has a theme of religion. It may be on the genre list as religion, but genre and theme aren't necessarily the same thing. Remember genre lists are crowd sourced and only 2 people shelved it as religion. You want a book that is going to focus on a religion - what is good/bad - how are the characters affected by it - is someone questioning their faith and grappling with it - is someone being persecuted because of their religion? I've not read this book, so it's really hard for me to say. It may be one that you need to read in order to substantiate what the themes are. Have you checked Wikipedia? It often will list and explain the themes of a book.

If you read the book and decide it fits, all you need to do if justify why you think it fits. I don't have to approve or disapprove.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I think there is always some risk of reading something thinking it will fit a theme and then it doesn't. It is part of the challenge.

[Janice, Moderator]

Exactly, and it's really hard for me to make a determination on books I haven't read.

The goal of a challenge is to get people reading. If you anticipate a book will fit a task for a challenge and you read it only to find that it doesn't. It's still a win/win situation.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I agree.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Throwing my hat in here too. I agree, it's super hard for mods to make calls on books we have not read.

Definitely helps if you do your research first by reading the blurb, reading reviews, check other people's threads and their lists, looking at wiki, googling the book, checking BookTok or Instagram, looking at other book sites like LibraryThing or StoryGraph and their reviews and blurbs, if really stuck ask AI (although know this is pulling things of the internet so may not always be correct).

Specific questions are easier to answer "I think this happens, is this along the lines of task X?" (although, not always) instead of "does this book fit X?". And 1000% agree, if a reading challenge gets you to read more books as something doesn't end up fitting, wonderful!

[Margo]

Hi all, wondering if anyone has read The Glass Hotel? From the blurb it sounds like it might fit the VILLANY task but I can't be sure till I read it! It sounds like it centers on a ponzi sceam, those who carried it out and those who were it's victims.

On the other hand, worst case is that I read a book by a favourite that I can't use the challenge......

[Janice, Moderator]

It seems vague from what I've read of the book blurb. Perhaps you might want to reserve it for the title or author lists and pick something more obvious?

[Marie (UK)]

Janice wrote: "I don't know what is happening to my reply to you Peggy, it keeps deleting my response and only showing your quoted bit.

Yes, I think your choice will work. I plan on reading [book:The Wager: A Ta..."

ooh I have that one on hold in the elibrary

[Janice, Moderator]

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder, Marie? If it comes available to you soon enough, we have a buddy read starting on Jan 20th. Come and join us.

[Odette]

Do these 2 books fit the following themes?

1. Survival - Deadman's Track by Sarah Barrie
Tess Atherton is a guide who takes groups into remote areas of southern Tasmania
2. Dogs - To the River by Vikki Wakefield
Bluey belongs to Sabine, the main protagonist in the novel.

I tried out Chat GP on these. It confirmed the main theme in the first book is survival.
However, the Dog Theme is one of a number of themes in the second book. "The dog Bluey plays a significant role, and is an important part of the novel, particularly in the relationship between Grace, the protagonist, and the people around her. "

What do you think?

Thanks