Introducing the genre challenge

[Liz, Moderator]

So, Magical Realism for September.....

[Helen]

I started Power of Six today.

[Liz, Moderator]

Ok, I've just set up the poll to choose the genre to read for October. There should be an invite to vote in your inbox...

I am amazed! We currently have over 1,130 members of UK Bookclub - it's grown so much and so quickly! When I joined (about 2 years ago), there were just over twenty of us - including Lynne, Nick, Sam and Jo.

Obviously moving from strength to strength! ;)

[Helen]

Ooooh, you are all so old! I've been with you since Feb.

[Liz, Moderator]

Ok - the genre for October has been chosen. And the winner is....... (drumroll) ...........

.....Horror/gothic

(Anything of a spine-tingling nature can be included.) Have fun!

[Nick 2E0NAQ]

Liz wrote: "Ok, I've just set up the poll to choose the genre to read for October. There should be an invite to vote in your inbox...

I am amazed! We currently have over 1,130 members of UK Bookclub - it's gr..."

no liz not in my inbox sorry

[Helen]

Suppose that's fitting for Halloween, woooooo!

[Mary]

I'm quite new to the club and am trying to widen my reading horizons by joining the genre challenge. I would have said horror/gothic was my thing but I'm willing to be 'challenged'. Anyone got any recommendations for a horror novice?

[Ian, Moderator]

Hi Mary.....horror is not really my thing but I've gone for Dracula by Bram Stoker for 3 reasons.....a) it's a classic that I would like to read and never have b) its a freebie if you have a kindle or e-reader and c) it gets me to Romania on my Around The World in 80 books challenge.

Also you could try by Virginia Andrews

[Bill]

Mary - I've chosen The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror as my tale of gothic horror. First time I've read it and so far I'm finding it very interesting.

[Em]

I'm not much inclined toward "horror" so my friends at work did raise an eyebrow when I pulled out American Psycho to read over lunch yesterday!

[Helen]

I wouldn't class FLowers in the Attic as horror. I, too have picked Dracula for the same three reasons as Ian.

[Em]

Would you say Flowers in the Attic was gothic if not out and out horror? I must admit I've only got as far as the blurb on the back but it seems to have those sort of elements to me...

I read Dracula last October - it was funnier than I expected! Enjoy...

[Vicky]

My next read is going to be [Book: The Day Watch|104160] by Sergei Lukyanenko, the follow up to [Book: The Night Watch|1029770] to tick off Russia for my round-the-world read (and so I can give my Dad his books back, to leave more room on my shelf for new ones).

It isn't gothic, but it could be horror? It's probably more of a supernatural thriller, but there are vampires in it. And they aren't sparkly vampires for teenyboppers, they are the real thing.

[Liz, Moderator]

Starfish13 wrote: "My next read is going to be [Book: The Day Watch|104160] by Sergei Lukyanenko, the follow up to [Book: The Night Watch|1029770] to tick off Russia for my round-the-world read (and so I can give my ..."

Great idea and I'm sure you could stretch it to fit in with the horror genre.... I've been meaning to read Night Watch - any good????

[Mary]

Thanks for the suggestions for my read. As I am relatively near to Whitby I shall try Dracula.

[Lynne - The Book Squirrel]

Mary wrote: "Thanks for the suggestions for my read. As I am relatively near to Whitby I shall try Dracula."

I love Whitby, it's one of my fave places to visit when I go to see my sister in Bridlington.

Have you read Never the Bride by Paul Magrs - the Brenda and Effie series based in Whitby. I loved them - bery funny too!

[Helen]

I'd say the 'Watches' were horror. I read the Flowers books when I was a late teen. I'd say if it was written now it would be a Young Adult. There are some nasty ideas but I wouldn't class it as horror.

[Mary]

Thanks Lynne. I love Whitby too. Pity the pier has been closed. Walking out on there and looking back towards the harbour is very special. I shall add 'Never the Bride' to my reading list.

[Helen]

Is Whitby where we went when we had that horrific rain?

[Mary]

Yes indeed. As I remember we were crossing the swing bridge when the heavens opened!

[Niall]

not a big Horror fan, but like Ian said, Dracula is a classic, and more importantly FFRREEEEEE!!!! on kindle.
also available free on Kindle is Frankenstein.

[Helen]

That is why I bought both of those!

[Helen]

Mary wrote: "Yes indeed. As I remember we were crossing the swing bridge when the heavens opened!",

Yes, and the wind gusted very inappropriately with my skirt! Was nice though and we had a lovely lunch.

[Mary]

Thanks everyone for their gothic/horror recommendations. More than enough to keep me out of mischief in October.

[Ian, Moderator]

Not sure why i thought Flowers was horror - bit of an early senior moment

[Deanne]

Just read The House of Bones by Masterton, quick horror read which was enjoyable. Put me off house buying for a while.

[Helen]

Frankenstein dull so far, have turned to a fantasy paperback!

[Mary]

Made a start with Dracula and enjoying it so far. Heavy description to build up suspense. What did anyone else think?

[Ian, Moderator]

I got bored and gave up

[Gill]

Dracula - one of the first books I read on my Kindle. I quite liked the style of it - letters, diary entries, newspaper entries etc and I think that is what kept me reading as it is not my normal type of book. Haven't tried Frankenstein.

[Dave]

Loved Dracula, but found I couldn;t get on with Frankenstien - very dull and slow.

[Dave]

Helen wrote: "Mary wrote: "Yes indeed. As I remember we were crossing the swing bridge when the heavens opened!",

Yes, and the wind gusted very inappropriately with my skirt! Was nice though and we had a lov..."

Hmm Gothic horror - Helen's skirt, there's a rude joke here somewhere!!

[Vicky]

Liz wrote: I've been meaning to read Night Watch - any good????

I really enjoyed it, although it is quite bleak in its outlook (helped along by considerable volumes of vodka). Great plot and interesting world-building, and the main character, Anton, is great.

[Helen]

Dave, my brother will be outside Cadoxton school to beat you up!

Not sure I'll get back to Frank', it really is dull.

[Dave]

Helen - I went to Jenner Park - I can take him :p

[Helen]

He was at Holton Road. I did Cadoxton, I loved that school. Both mine and yours look really different with the new windows.

[Liz, Moderator]

Starfish13 wrote: "Liz wrote: I've been meaning to read Night Watch - any good????

I really enjoyed it, although it is quite bleak in its outlook (helped along by considerable volumes of vodka). Great plot and int..."

Another one to put on the to read list then!!!

[Liz, Moderator]

Ian wrote: "I got bored and gave up"

Wow! And yet you ploughed through The Prince to the bitter end. I liked Dracula; great atmosphere and some parts even made me chuckle.

[Dave]

Helen wrote: "He was at Holton Road. I did Cadoxton, I loved that school. Both mine and yours look really different with the new windows."

Yes they does look a bit bizarre

[Ian, Moderator]

Liz wrote: "Ian wrote: "I got bored and gave up"

Wow! And yet you ploughed through The Prince to the bitter end. I liked Dracula; great atmosphere and some parts even made me chuckle."

I found The Prince fascinating as it is still so applicable today, plus it is also very short which helped.

To be honest all the genres of the unreal imagined world like horror/fantasy/sci-fi etc are just not my cup of tea and Dracula will probably be my last venture in that sort of direction.

[Helen]

I've been looking at the poll list and we're running out of genres I like!

[Bill]

Helen wrote: "I've been looking at the poll list and we're running out of genres I like!"

There's only two months left this year, hopefully there are at least two.. ;0)

[Helen]

Hey, positive thinking!

[Ian, Moderator]

Helen wrote: "I've been looking at the poll list and we're running out of genres I like!"

I would say the opposite....finally some genres left that I might enjoy. I'm hoping we go beyond 12 months otherwise it'll be back to the same ones again.

[Bill]

Ian wrote: "Helen wrote: "I've been looking at the poll list and we're running out of genres I like!"

I would say the opposite....finally some genres left that I might enjoy. I'm hoping we go beyond 12 mont..."

That's a good idea, Ian.

[Liz, Moderator]

Helen wrote: "I've been looking at the poll list and we're running out of genres I like!"

Hey Helen, surely the point of a challenge is to try the ones you wouldn't normally go for? I was thinking we'd just go on until re ran out of genres.....
I hope there's enough of us, who'll stick with it too.....

[Liz, Moderator]

Looks like it might be time to put together the poll to choose next month's genre....

[Bill]

Liz wrote: "Looks like it might be time to put together the poll to choose next month's genre...."

I like the idea of running down all the possible genre's Liz. Looking forward to Novembers.

[Helen]

I read an autobiog!