2018 Reading Challenge - Discussion Thread

[Silvion Night]

Far from it!

16 people have signed up to join you and 14 of those have been filling out their “cards” so far. I think @Silvion Night is sandbagging.

I enjoy observing all the different sort of books we read, crossing categories off my list, and hoping someone gets close to checking all their boxes.

Hehe, I will read one more Malazan book and then I will start scratching off on my list.

 

[Darth Tater]

@TomTB

Just read a book I loved and as a surprise bonus 3 dragons reared their ugly heads. Now I withdraw my nightingale plea.

OK, so whike I haven’t read anything I wouldn’t normally, per se, this HAS motivated me to check ou books that I planned to read but kept outting off or check out books that were “in the back of my mind”.


Sooo... can anyone who has read a graphic novel please tell me in your opinion whether they are any good? I was looking at a 228 page one (The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen part 2). Is there one large picture per page usually or are there several panels? Do they come out clearly on a Kindle? Do I lose much without the color?

Here’s the bottom line:

1. Challenge or not, if that book was available in the regular firm I would read that instead. But it’s not.

2. It isn’t worth $10 to me to buy a book that will take me an hour to complete. That’s why I am asking about one big page or separate panels. At least with panels it will be more material.

3. If it’s lame on a Kindle I’ll pass.

I tried to check out a sample on Amazon but it says the file us too large to download. So I’m not being lazy. I really DO need and would appreciate help. Wirse case scenario I can buy it, check out a couple pages and return it immediately if it is lame. But I would prefer to avoid that tactic if possible. Maybe that’s what I should do to judge it for myself?

 

[Bierschneeman]

I'm reading Sandman right now. it's a NEIL GAIMEN, so if your a fan this is one of his best, sometimes referred to as #1 . it can be either really short or really long depending on how long you want to take it.
it deals specifically with dreams heavily.

the tv show Lucifer is based on the graphic novel series of same name the character is taken from Sandman with permission. (Mike Carey author, Mike carrey ruined xmen so I never got around to lucifer)

watchmen is a quick one and you might be able to watch the comic, they have a thing where they animate each individual panel with a voice overlay. it's called a motion comic and there's a good one out there, but beware there is a glut of bad videos , not animated properly, that claim to be a watchmen motion comic. there is also a prequel series that sucks and was published against the will of the original creator. Alan Moore . if you buy it , it is valued at about $10.

there is a michael Moorcock elric graphic novel if you enjoy that, I have not read it.

look up your favorite authors, fantasy authors often publish a graphic novel or comic series that can be picked up in collected novels. a for instance my wife loves reading "monstress" by Marjorie liu

check comixology . it'
now purchased by amazon, but they have thousands of of comics and graphic novels available digitally.

I'm a huge fan of ed brubakers run of captain America, the movie winter soldier is loosely based on it, the book is better and is certainly one of the top 5 best ever published. really anything by brubeker would be great, he tends very noir, mystery , spy, detective kind of stuff.

also bendis run on daredevil is really good starting 2001 with wake up., stay away from mark waid it's just plain bad. cheese a goofy like Batman and robin movie.

in general just avoid marvel of the last 10 years. they are all not very great, even the best get interrupted before they get a chance to finish their story. marvel is obsessed with making sure there are too many crossovers that interrupt and ruin perfectly good runs.

also moon knight seems up your alley, specifically noir and mystery heavy. start with "the bottom" 06? finch is a marvel at art, and Huston turns the character on the heel of every previous work on the character without needing any prior knowledge.

 

[Bierschneeman]

you might like a twist on superman, "red son" is an alternate universe superman that landed in the farmlands of the Soviet union.

Scott Snyder s Batman starting 2011 is also in my top 5 of all time.

and my wife loves the very fantasy series Saga.

 

[Bierschneeman]

Disclaimer for above recommendations.

although everything mentioned is among my favorites and I would likely recommend most of them to most of of you. it was completed with @Darth Tater in mind. he and I seem to have very similar tastes (that differ greatly sometimes) and specifically I geared this list towards mysteries, noir, and the like.


if I were to recommend to someone who specifically loves horror I'd point towards "wytches" by scott Snyder (it is one book, or six issues long) or "Sabrina" ( which may not be in graphic novel form, but invloves Sabrina the teenage witch is a very occult heavy, R rated horror. (or a specific lovecraftian horror series) I might even add various swamp thing runs , Scott Snyder's and Alan Moore . or I might add "American vampire" or "30 days of night" the book that inspired the movie.

if someone who loves good hearted young adult mysteries (tater might actually like this) I'd recommend Gotham academy.

if you like awkward teenagers, and heartwarming stories about second generation Americans (or Muslim americans) that deal with the real world difficulties of balancing old world traditions and new technologies and culture of America. the new ms marvel takes it on with a delightful superhero twist. first book is amazing, but the series got derailed with crossovers and is no longer heartwarming, funny , or relevant. it's rather generic superhero now.

for someone who love shiny do no wrong paladins who pirouette in the sun...theres a superman comic I'd recommend umm.... something something son? if asked I can look it up.

if you like D&D or fantasy roleplay games with a vulgar humor and well written female cast. Rat Queens.

et cetera

 

[Khartun]

Hey @TomTB, on the 5 fantasy short stories would the stories in Stephen King's Night Shift count? That book also checks off a book released in 78.

 

[TomTB]

Hey @TomTB, on the 5 fantasy short stories would the stories in Stephen King's Night Shift count? That book also checks off a book released in 78.

Yes, absolutely

 

[Bierschneeman]

updating goodreads, I found something interesting.

the Isaac Asimov universe of series in foundation includes the following challenges: (I already have most of these, so I am just extending courtesy in case someone is interested.)

time travel (end of eternity)
1988
series of two (foundation prequels)
series of three ( galactic empire)
series of four (robot detective series)
series of five. (foundation series)
series of six (robot anthology series)

possibly 1978, and 1968, but these are skipable

 

[Jakyro]

Does ‘Ready Player One’ fall into the category of YA ?

 

[TomTB]

Does ‘Ready Player One’ fall into the category of YA ?

Yes, I'd say so.

 

[Darth Tater]

@TomTB
The Dresden Files is listed on the top fantasy 25 list. For the challenge does that mean a single book or all 15 books?

 

[TomTB]

@TomTB
The Dresden Files is listed on the top fantasy 25 list. For the challenge does that mean a single book or all 15 books?

Just to make the challenge that little bit more challenging, I'll go with ... 15 books

 

[Bierschneeman]

Just to make the challenge that little bit more challenging, I'll go with ... 15 books

that means I will likely have to unmark for "Discworld" as I only read 18 of 41 so far this year. AND it is one of only 4 challenges I have finished, but only once, so I cannot just replace the title.

 

[ExTended]

Just to make the challenge that little bit more challenging, I'll go with ... 15 books

Well, at least we know there won't be any losers, coz there won't be any winners!

 

[Darth Tater]

that means I will likely have to unmark for "Discworld" as I only read 18 of 41 so far this year. AND it is one of only 4 challenges I have finished, but only once, so I cannot just replace the title.

Yeah. It wasn’t in the “series” categories and said “A” book (singular). Plus it seems like one book should equal any other book. HOWEVER, I asked because Tom made the Challenge, so I wanted to make sure I did the right thing in the “spirit” of it as far as what he had in mind. I ‘m going to read another Dresden book soon anyhow.

I’ve far exceeded my expectations so I’m good. I hadn’t planned to initially, but I went out of my way to read a couple of books. I looked up books for 1978 and Beauty sounded good. It wasn’t good. It was Grrrrreat! Thanks Tom. I hadn’t much luck with female fantasy authors but loved 3 of the last 5. And the other two weren’t bad either.

 

[Bierschneeman]

I’ve far exceeded my expectations so I’m good.

That's a big Concur, I originally expected to get 10, tops. My reading habits being as random and eclectic as they are. Some of the ones I have completed I didn't know I did until after I read them, There are several challenges I never Hope to finish because I have ZERO reading budget right now, so of the (gotta be over fifty) books I have read this year They have all been books on my shelves that I am trying to get rid of (to make moving easier since We started with 4 book cases full (over full books behind books, books filling nooks and cranies sideways)

I know I have 9 more Asimov books to read, 5 more pratchetts, more steinbecks, more Tolstoy, more Faulkner, more Gogol, more Dostoyevsky Beckett, Cervantes, Egyptian Myths, a Whole shelf of Heinlen, a Whole shelf of Arthur C Clarke, and a very large stack of randoms sitting on the edge of my desk to read, PLUS whatever I am missing, But I have no idea what will stimulate my curiosity next, I know I bored of Asimov and Pratchett so I have put them aside.

I think after another Briggs book I'm going to get on the Le Morte D'arthur and T H White kick (none have a challenge to complete, I think)

AALL THAT, and a large majority of challenges completed I have done several times, so If I was out to finish I would have finished already, instead of doubling tripling, and sectoupling so often.

. I hadn’t planned to initially, but I went out of my way to read a couple of books. I looked up books for 1978 and Beauty sounded good.

I hadn't, and still haven't. I guess if I suddenly get a budget I might, but no plans so far.

 

[Darth Tater]

I hadn't, and still haven't. I guess if I suddenly get a budget I might, but no plans so far.

I’ve doubled and then some on many also.

I only have 4 books on my cyber shelf so I’m free to get new stuff. Plus I got the Challenge ones cheap. One I was going to read, Inferno (but later), was $3.82, One I was motivated to try again (Phantom) was $0.00 And one I never heard of sounded really good that I got specifically for the date (Beauty) was $2.99. I really wasn’t thrilled with Inferno (language) but loved Beauty (1978) and really enjoyed Phantom Of The Opera (horror). Everything else had nothing to do with the Challenge.

I figured I would get 21 or 25 tops. But I’ve got 31. I can see maybe knocking off perhaps 4 or 5 more without going out of my way in the least. Maximum 8 if I take detours. Anyhow, it’s been fun.

I think it’s mainly meant to be a personal challenge but from a contest aspect, I think whoever reads Dinosaur Lords should automatically win. It’s really not much reward for the PTSD therapy sessions that will inevitably follow.

 

[Darth Tater]

I’m jealous. Some are getting a lot of bang for their bucks. Having not read that many books but the books they DID read filled several categories. The most I got out of a book was maybe three. I average almost two books a week but many are by the same authors so nothing new gets checked off or even added to my author list. I zoomed to 20. It seems like 30 SHOULD be a given but it’s far from guaranteed. One crazy thing is that tomorrow I complete my 29th book since January 1st so my year end total MAY be 80+. I won’t need to declare bankruptcy as the majority were $3 or less. I watch certain books and jump on the sales or snag something else interesting that’s reduced.

 

[Darth Tater]

I’m in a Challenge rut. I’ve read 34 books in 19 weeks but it’s infrequent that I get to knock off a category let alone add to my list of 30 authors. About 50% of my reading is fantasy then a lot of mystery books with a few adventures, thrillers, and general fiction.

Out of the next nine books on my “tentative schedule” I will be able to knock out one new category and add one new author. I don’t expect to mark off more than a handful of new catergories over the last 7 months. But it’s been fun and I’m still very happy with where I’m sitting. A couple times I’ve strayed a slight bit off the beaten path to add another feather to my cap but I don’t see much of that happening in the future.

I’m at 32. No way I get 40/52 but I will get closer by the end! Oh, and I’ve crossed off all years ending in an 8. All just fell into my lap. Now I need for one of those books in my birth year to go on sale!

 

[Khartun]

I’m in a Challenge rut. I’ve read 34 books in 19 weeks but it’s infrequent that I get to knock off a category let alone add to my list of 30 authors. About 50% of my reading is fantasy then a lot of mystery books with a few adventures, thrillers, and general fiction.

Out of the next nine books on my “tentative schedule” I will be able to knock out one new category and add one new author. I don’t expect to mark off more than a handful of new catergories over the last 7 months. But it’s been fun and I’m still very happy with where I’m sitting. A couple times I’ve strayed a slight bit off the beaten path to add another feather to my cap but I don’t see much of that happening in the future.

I’m at 32. No way I get 40/52 but I will get closer by the end! Oh, and I’ve crossed off all years ending in an 8. All just fell into my lap. Now I need for one of those books in my birth year to go on sale!

I'm in the same boat. I'm at 30. I'm about to finish the four book series but I don't seem me getting more than maybe 5-6 more after that.

I have enjoyed it though and I read more than I would have without it.