Fantasy Book Club discussion

So, this time last year we were deciding whether to introduce challenges and I think we'd all have to agree that they've been successful. Plus I completed the genre!!!

And, except for Scott, we're all still trying to fill the elusive letters of the alphabet and avoid the serial letters.

So, what do you want to do next year? The existing ones will remain so we can carry on or if completed, try again.

Suggestions here please -

*remember to make sure we can achieve them (at some point in our lives at least)

*that they aren't too high maintenance.

Margret is ahead of me!

As we were talking about in the A to Z thread a clean up unfinished series which you aren't abandoning challenge would be interesting. I currently have 23 (insert embarrassed emoticon here). I'd like to get down to under 10.

This also doesn't include series that aren't completed. If the author hasn't put the books out there's nothing you can do. I have at least another dozen of these.

But people could set their own goals. I don't think it will ever be possible to get down to none.

I saw this and i love the idea. I think we could list all our open series' in our first message and cross off.

Or, we could have a series per message but that will likely get unmanageable with comments.

It should boost the buddies too.

Last time, I think it was Bill, mentioned doing a book shelf challenge where you have to read so many off the group's previous reads.

I like both these ideas. The bookshelf idea is a good one too as there are lots of books already there to choose from and it would mean I can finally get some of the group books read.

More a leap of faith than a challenge would be everybody putting their name in and one of the mods does a selection and that person from the group gets to pick a book for you to read. There would have to be parameters such as it has to be the first book in a series if you're going that route. The person being chosen for could put down some basic no-no's like no vampires, YA title, anything too dark or with graphic sex, etc. But going off of somebody's bookshelf and basic into it would be fun to try and give them something you loved. Also a format restriction like must be available in Kindle or in my country of origin.

I used to being to a group that did a similar thing. People were matched up into pairs then your 'pair' picked something from your 'to read' shelf. The criteria meant that you had to pick something that you'd given five stars, or near.

I like the try to finish as many unfinished series as you can idea. This is a big problem with me for my physical books. I've started plenty of series where I only read the first one or two books and have yet to go back and complete the series. That might help cut my TBR pile down somewhat, while also adding to it. But at least I would feel like I accomplished something and feel less guilty about it.

I think I might just add all the series I haven't finished into a document on my computer just to see what the nightmare looks like.

How about a challenge that forces me to read all the unread books I already own.

Yes, I need to complete series' and read owned books. Mind they'd have an overlap.

I've noticed at the beginning and end of the year there's a lot of active members.. possibly due to it being winter time? Maybe a summer-fall reading challenge based just on either a group series read or even just a "pledge a number" challenge would boost activity? Like most people I go where the activity is so feels like I'm not just talking to myself.

Also, I would love it if there was two books per month again. Because at that point I was participating every single time due to the extra option.

.

Oh and maybe a discussion thread or folder about new fantasy releases could spice up the discussions

Margret wrote: "I've noticed at the beginning and end of the year there's a lot of active members.. possibly due to it being winter time? Maybe a summer-fall reading challenge based just on either a group series r..."

One of the reasons we discontinued the two books was because so many buddy reads had been started along with the books of the month. Well..........now that the buddy readers seem to have discontinued.....I suppose we could go back. And I'll admit to not starting my own buddy read of the Amber Chronicles. However. The activity seemed to have fallen off on two reads anyway.
There is no requirement to do any of the reads, but it would be nice if those who vote would poke their heads in. Life can get in the way, after all.....don't I know.
: )


Your idea of a thread discussing new fantasy is a good one. Just so you and others know. Anyone is welcome to start up new threads/conversations.

That one would fit nicely into the General Fantasy discussion folder.

Also......check out some of the older discussions, especially in that folder.

Or the chat threads. Sometimes trying to start a conversation is ......welll.... I'll just say, its difficult.
; )

Since I'm not good at buddy read format (I either blow through the book or lag behind) I will start posting a book I'm reading that month that I think would be fun to discuss with no real set schedule

Oh and if you would still like to do a loosely scheduled buddy read for the Amber series, I just bought the omnibus last month and would be reading for the first time

I really would Margret. It is a favorite series of mine. Read many times, but I never tire of it.

Brenda ╰☆╮ wrote: "... Just so you and others know. Anyone is welcome to start up new threads/conversations."

I'm taking you up on this, Brenda. If it's in the wrong thread, please move. Thanks!

Go for it Monica. You have been a great contributor, by the way.
Thank you.

Thanks, Brenda. I enjoy the discussion in this group.

I thought there was a thread for that, go figure!

Maybe it got archived.
I did look for it.

If there is already another thread, just delete the one I put up. Thanks!

No, I've in your new short story thread, with research. It's going no where!!!

I really like the book shelf challenge. I've been (kind of) doing it on my own anyway. I also like bringing up some of the questions from the past because I think there really great questions like "who are your favorite fantasy characters?"

Okay so we have:

Read the group's book shelf You could set a target of 12 up and list them and make a comment in its folder.

Finish off series List the series that you have already started, then over the year strike them off, hopefully not doing what I'll do and add to the list.

To be read Not sure about the logistics of this. Perhaps each month we sign up if we want a suggestion. Then a mod pairs every one off. Each pair selects something from your to read shelf for you to read.

Is that okay?

You wouldn't necessarily have to face people off. So I could be reading a recommendation from you but you're reading one from Margret and she's reading one from Angela..........Either way is fine with me. I'm just suggesting it this way because you get people interacting with twice the amount of people every month which grows group bonds. From an admin perspective your way is probably a lot easier.

I love all of the challenges, I'll be signing up for every single one

Scott, that would be easier but someone could end up without a rec whilst others get loads. At least that was my thinking.

Guess we could try it the first month and adapt if needed. :)

Helen wrote: "Scott, that would be easier but someone could end up without a rec whilst others get loads. At least that was my thinking."

I'm not sure I catch your drift. Everybody's name would only get picked once. Like I said I don't have a preference it was merely a suggestion. Also if you get an odd number of participants it's not an issue where pairing is.

Is it too late to suggest another challenge? How about reading one award-winning book each month. The award can be specific to the Fantasy genre (Hugo, World Fantasy), or the book could have won a more general literary award. We'd have to put our collective heads together to come up with a list of awards that qualify (no Sci-Fi?)

Also it would be fun for the group to suggest a list of titles that fit under each award (to help readers select monthly).

Monica wrote: "Is it too late to suggest another challenge? How about reading one award-winning book each month. The award can be specific to the Fantasy genre (Hugo, World Fantasy), or the book could have won a ..."

I think this is a great idea Monica. How about we set the list for each award and give everyone a year to complete one choice from each list. Some will get done in a short amount of time and some, like me, might take all year.

Tnkw01 wrote: How about we set the list for each award and give everyone a year to complete one choice from each list. Some will get done in a short amount of time and some, like me, might take all year...."

I would need the full year also! There are quite a few group members who are far more versed in Fantasy genre awards than I am. Once that is narrowed down we can get a list of the winners online as well as recommendations from the group, (which would go high on my reading list). Then there are the blockbusters that may have won a more general literary award, but not a Fantasy award? (Is that likely?) It could be a fun group discussion to come up with possible choices. Still, it's up to the Mods whether or not it becomes a group challenge in 2017.

The only fantasy awards I have even heard about are the Hugo awards and the David Gemmell awards

I feel like Joseph would know something like this though. He's like the human search engine of fantasy books lol

There are actually several, these are a revised list from Wikipedia.
A
Aurealis Award
Aurealis Award for best fantasy short story
D
Darrell Awards
H
Hugo Award
J
John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
K
Kitschies
M
Mythopoeic Awards
N
Andre Norton Award
S
Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Awards
W
World Fantasy Award
WSFA Small Press Award

This is a revised list. The Nebula Awards sometimes has Fantasy also and can't forget the David Gemmell Awards. I'm sure there's others.

Sure we can add that too. But that's it as with our old two we'd be on six plus a monthly read.

I'm going to do a redo.
Somebody send me a rope.

Lol, every confidence and all that *sniggers*

These are all such great ideas. I really like the Awards idea too. Yes it looks like I'm easily pleased when it comes to challenge ideas.

Me too :)


http://ggbooks.ca/ just parking this link to an award here while I know where it is.

I'm going to close this thread as we have some great ideas for January. Thanks guys.

Oh and you can always find me in the what's happening thread if needed :)