2011 A-Z Character Challenge

[Lu]

Congratz Kahlan!

[Barbara]

Congratz Kahlan, I don't blame you. I like using my books in challenges. I have reached the point that if I can't use a book in any challenge I feel guilty for having read it. I know it is sad but true.

@ Lauren, yeah even I don't do all the challenges but that's because there were some challenges like the mythology challenge and the science fiction challenge for which I just didn't have the books and since I coul'dn't buy that many new books and hadn't discovered Bookdepo yet, I decided not to join those. And the monthly things I see more as something that if I don't know what to read I'll join, if I do then I won't unless it is something I can use. I like doing the challenges if I ever start bragging or be obnoxious about them please let me know, because that is the last thing I want. It's just that this year I have a lot of time to read and that makes me read a lot of books. It is unusual for me too to read so much but I am proud of myself for doing it so but I know reading is something that is not something everyone has the same amount of time for doing and also we read all at different speeds.

[Naz]

A - Ayla - The Plains of Passage
B - Burrich - Assassin's Apprentice
C - Caspian - Prince Caspian
D - Debra - Eagle in the Sky
E - Edmund - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
F - Frank - The Wasp Factory
G - Goldilocks - Revolting Rhymes
H - Helen - The Magician's Nephew
I - Iza - The Clan of the Cave Bear
J - Jondalar - The Valley of Horses
K - Konowa - A Darkness Forged in Fire
L - Lestat - Interview With the Vampire
M - Montgomery Montgomery - The Reptile Room
N - Norrel - The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories
O - Olvin - The Horse and His Boy
P - Piggy - Lord of Flies
Q - Queen Dana - The Innocent Mage
R - Rumblebuffin - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
S - Sofia - Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
T - Talut - The Mammoth Hunters
U - Umber, Jon - A Game of Thrones
V - Vin - The Well of Ascension
W - Wednesday - American Gods
X -
Y - Yusuf - Quran
Z - Zane - The Hero of Ages

[Barbara]

Yeah I completed this challenge for the second time this year. Don't think I will try for a third time though since I have to many challenges to figure out already, but who knows I will keep an eye on the characters and if I find a lot of the hard ones first who knows what I'll do.

[Lu]

Wait did you complete again now?

[Barbara]

Yes. I did it for the second time this year. Not to sure if I am going for three times. Will have to see and decide later.

[[deleted user]]

Overachiever :)
Just kidding, thats awesome! I'm struggling to complete is only once :)

[Barbara]

What struggling. You are going to complete this. You only have 4 names to go and those aren't even the hardest ones and you have more than 5 months to do it. You will complete this challenge also. There is no doubt in my mind that you will.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks Barbara :)
You put a big smile on my face now hehe
Sometimes I forget some of the characters that I've read...

[Lauren]

I'm with Barbara - you won't have much trouble completing this one; it's the easiest of the A-Z challenges, because there are usually quite a few main characters to choose from, so you can move things around to suit you.

And if you can't remember the names, just go to Library Thing, look up the book there and click on Common Knowledge, where you can get a list of characters (and locations actually).

Congrats on finishing again Barbara!

[[deleted user]]

Thanks Lauren.
I'm struggling with the Y and U

[Barbara]

If you check the lists of other people for inspiration then you see in Crusader's list that there is a John Umber in Game of thrones that you can use. There is propbably also a Y in there or in one of the sequels since if you use the u you can't use the book again for the y. So just be vigilant while reading. I made a list for myself for all the A-Z challenges with the letters that I still need and keep that with the books I am reading so I am reminded of it while reading.

[Lauren]

Oh, I'm having trouble with U too, although I'm not too worried since I have so much time. I was planning to read The Mists of Avalon which has a character named Uther, because I needed the book for Arthurian legend in the mythology challenge, but then I found something else for that task by accident.

[Lauren]

Barbara wrote: "If you check the lists of other people for inspiration then you see in Crusader's list that there is a John Umber in Game of thrones that you can use. There is propbably also a Y in there or in one..."

I was thinking of using Umber, but I can't even remember him. I googled him, and then remembered the scene with him, but I can't recall the man himself. I'd rather use a character with a more significant role.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks ladies :)

[Barbara]

Can't remember him either or I still have to read about him. Apparantly his role is significant enough though to use him. I myself also rather use larger characters. I have used smaller characters once or twice but only if without them the story would be different and they have had more than one scene. Like with my final x character. he is in three scenes but he is the one who betrays the whole thing and is the one that finds the bodies and is the one who gets the main character all worked up. So he is still an important part of the story even though he has only three scenes.

[Lauren]

Done!

Luckily the book I chose to read Un Lun Dun - had not one but two 'u' character (as well as a 'z' and 'y' character, in case anyone wants to use it).

[Barbara]

congrats!

[Naz]

Congrats :)

[Lauren]

For those still doing this challenge, Reamde by Neal Stephenson has characters for O, Q, Y and Z. At 1044 pages, you can also use it for the diabolical challenge.

[Naz]

Im stuck with X. Most books that I've read the character isn't a major part of the story, as in Embassytown. Most frustrating.

[Barbara]

Aren't the books other people have read an option for you? Or the books Lauren mentioned as suggestion?

I have always found it strange that I believe fot the locations A-Z we can leave the X out and for the other A-Z we have to do the X. It isn't easier to find a character with an X that it is to find a location with an X.

[Lauren]

With X, I took a bit more liberty with the major character thing, specifically because the letter is so hard. The character I used had an important role in the story but not much time on the page.

I agree with you Barbara - finding locations and characters for X are equally hard. Title and author are no easy feat either, although they're a bit easier to search for.

[Lu]

You guys can leave the X out if you want :) I'm not a nazi :P

[Lauren]

Perhaps, for all 4 of the A-Z challenges we could make X an optional bonus letter?

[Lu]

Yea optional :)

[Naz]

Yay does that mean Im done? :)

[Barbara]

I just mentioned locations because I didn't want to mention them all but they are all hard. But I think the Q isn't easy too. Maybe we could say that we could leave one letter out because most challenges have 25 tasks and then you can pick the one that is the hardest for you either X or Q.

Yeah Naz, that would mean you're done. Congrats!

[Lu]

Sigh I just need Y to finish!

[Lu]

I'll make threads for the 2012 A-Z challenges soon :)