SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Welcome to my challenge thread :)

My 2021 challenges were fun but I don't think I completed any of them! That being said, I had one of my best years for reading ever; I read SO many books that I absolutely loved. I'll still be tracking many a challenge here without putting too much pressure on myself to complete them. Part of the fun for me is exploring and planning.

Feel free to share comments and thoughts :)

Links go to other comments in this thread :)

Total books read in 2022: 4/50

SF: 1
Fantasy: 3

Female authors: 4

2022 Challenges:
Alphabet Challenge
Circadian Reading
Read ALL the Books
Series Challenge
TBR Challenge
A Dozen Roses

Previous Years - 2021

Alphabet Challenge
19/26

Completed:

A - An Accident of Stars
B - Bellewether
C - City of Strife
E - Exit Strategy
F - Fugitive Telemetry
G - Get a Life, Chloe Brown
H - The Hands of the Emperor
I - Iron Kissed
L - The Last Graduate
M - Minor Mage
N- Network Effect
O - The Obelisk Gate
P - Piranesi
R - The Rest of the Story
S - Stargazy Pie
T - The Touchstone Trilogy
U - Unspoken
V - The Vanished Days
W - The Witness for the Dead

Potential Reads (hidden for length): (view spoiler)[

A


B
Bellewether
Brown Girl in the Ring

C
Caster
China Mountain Zhang
Cinnamon and Gunpowder

D
The Days of the Deer
Dragon Pearl
The Dragon Republic (Series #2)

E
Everfair

F
Finders
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
Flame in the Mist
Flesh and Spirit


G
God Is Red: A Native View of Religion
Gods of Jade and Shadow
Gunpowder Alchemy
The Galaxy Game

H
How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse

I
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life
Inda (have read before)
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

J
Jade City
The Just City

K
The Killing Moon
Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was

L
Labyrinth Lost
Lion of Senet
Lobizona

M
Master of Poisons
The Mere Wife
Miss Meteor
Mordant's Need

N
Nocturna
Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong

O
The Obelisk Gate
Orleans

P
A Passage of Stars
The People in the Trees
A Planet for Rent
Point of Hopes
The Poppy War

Q
The Queen of Nothing
The Quantum Thief

R
The Raven and the Reindeer
Red Moon and Black Mountain

S
Salt to the Sea
The Stone Sky
The Starless Sea
A Sword Named Truth
Skyward
Spin the Dawn
Spinning Silver
Spirits Abroad

T
The Ten Thousand Doors of January

U
The Ugly Stepsister
The Unspoken Name

V
A Very Large Expanse of Sea

W
The Water Dancer
The Way of Thorn and Thunder
We Set the Dark on Fire
Wicked Fox
The Word for World is Forest
Wizard of the Crow

X

Y
The Year 200

Z
Zero Sum Game

Numbers (might do if I feel like it):
0 - Zero Sum Game
1 - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
2 - Two Suns in the Sky
3 - Three Shadows / Power of Three
4 - Sing the Four Quarters
5 - Court of Fives
6 - Six Moon Dance
7 - On the Night of the Seventh Moon
8 -
9 - The Nine Billion Names of God
10 - Ten Little Indians
11 - Station Eleven

I gave myself lots of choices because I'm such a mood reader~ (hide spoiler)]


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Circadian Reading
Goal: 24
1/24

UTC -12 - Tales of the Tikongs (Tonga - author)
UTC - 7 - The Marrow Thieves (Indigenous - now Canada)
UTC - 6 - A Snake Falls to Earth (Lipan Apache - now US)
UTC - 5 - Moon of the Crusted Snow (Anishinaabe - now US/Canada)
UTC -4 - The Summer Prince (Brazil - setting) or a Karen Lord book (Barbados)
UTC -3 - Lobizona (Argentina - author)
UTC +0 - Piranesi (England)
UTC +1 - David Mogo Godhunter (Nigera - author)
UTC +8 - The Astonishing Color of After (Taiwan - setting)
UTC +9 - Wicked Fox (Korea)
UTC +10 - Terra Nullius (Australia)
UTC +12 - The Dark Mirror (New Zealand - author)

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Read ALL the Books
Goal: 10
9/10


Potential Reads:
(and will also add some group reads):
The Obelisk Gate
Grass
The Dispossessed
To Say Nothing of the Dog
Zoo City
Red Mars
The Sword of Kaigen
Moon of the Crusted Snow
Kindred
Wild Seed
Spinning Silver
A Night in the Lonesome October
She Who Became the Sun

Completed:
Piranesi
The Obelisk Gate
We Are Satellites
Sunshine
The Steerswoman
Nettle & Bone
The Raven and the Reindeer
A Memory Called Empire
Light from Uncommon Stars

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Series Challenge
Link to Challenge Thread

Trilogy:
First book was 5 stars: The Witness for the Dead, The Grief of Stones
BIPOC author: The Obelisk Gate , The Stone Sky
Science Fiction: The Steerswoman, The Lost Steersman, The Outskirter's Secret, The Language of Power
Favorite author: Lhind the Firebird
Duology: Flesh and Spirit, Breath and Bone
Fresh off the press: Exit Strategy, Network Effect, Fugitive Telemetry
Fantasy: The Last Graduate , The Golden Enclaves
Binge read: Greenwing and Dart Series

Completed:
Exit Strategy
Network Effect
Fugitive Telemetry

The Last Graduate

The Obelisk Gate

Stargazy Pie
Bee Sting Cake
Whiskeyjack
Blackcurrant Fool
Love-in-a-Mist
Plum Duff
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TBR Challenge
Goal: 10
9/10

1. Book with nine lives - The Last Graduate
2. Don't be suspicious - Hither, Page
3. Dressed to the nines -
4. Head in the clouds
5. One for the clubhouse - Piranesi
6. Of its time - Shadow Magic
7. "Revolution is in the individual spirit"
8. Cover with distinct art style - Sing the Four Quarters
9. 9 or 22 *
10. Why not both? - Bellewether
11. Seasonal
12. I need a nap!
13. Thorns and roses
14. A little slice of heaven - The Hands of the Emperor
15. Fluffy!
16. "Humans are doing the best they can" - Exit Strategy
17. "Such conduct is the prerogative of the truly wise"
18. 240-270 pages - The Grief of Stones
19. Nein
20. ???

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A Dozen Roses
Goal: 6
2/6

Moon Called
Borderline

Previous challenges:
(spoilers used to organize)

2021:
Books read: 50

Alphabet Challenge
17/26

(view spoiler)[
Completed:
A - The Angel of the Crows
B - The Best of All Possible Worlds
C - Children of Time
D - Deeplight
E - Elatsoe
F - Fate of the Fallen
G - The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
H- The House in the Cerulean Sea
M - The Midnight Bargain
O - The Ocean at the End of the Lane
P - Paladin's Grace
R - Record of a Spaceborn Few
S - A Spark of White Fire
T - The Tiger at Midnight
U - Unconquerable Sun
V - A Very Large Expanse of Sea
W - When Fox is a Thousand


Potential Reads (hidden for length):

A
Amatka
All Systems Red

B
The Best of All Possible Worlds
Bellewether
Brown Girl in the Ring

C
Caster
Children of Time
China Mountain Zhang
Cinnamon and Gunpowder

D
The Days of the Deer
Dragon Pearl
The Dragon Republic (Series #2)

E
Everfair

F
Finders
The Fire's Stone
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
Flame in the Mist
Flesh and Spirit
Foundation

G
God Is Red: A Native View of Religion
Gods of Jade and Shadow
Gunpowder Alchemy

H
How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse

I
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life
Inda (have read before)
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

J
Jade City
The Just City

K
The Killing Moon
Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was

L
Labyrinth Lost
Lion of Senet
Lobizona

M
Master of Poisons
The Mere Wife
The Midnight Bargain
Miss Meteor
Mordant's Need

N
Nocturna
Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong

O
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
The Obelisk Gate
Orleans

P
A Passage of Stars
The People in the Trees
A Planet for Rent
Point of Hopes
The Poppy War

Q
The Queen of Nothing
The Quantum Thief

R
The Raven and the Reindeer
Record of a Spaceborn Few
Red Moon and Black Mountain

S
Salt to the Sea
The Stone Sky
The Starless Sea
A Sword Named Truth
Skyward
Spin the Dawn
Spinning Silver
Spirits Abroad

T
The Ten Thousand Doors of January
The Tiger's Daughter

U
The Ugly Stepsister
Unconquerable Sun
The Unspoken Name

V
A Very Large Expanse of Sea

W
The Water Dancer
The Way of Thorn and Thunder
We Set the Dark on Fire
When Fox is a Thousand
Wicked Fox
The Word for World is Forest
Wizard of the Crow

X

Y
The Year 200

Z
Zero Sum Game

Numbers (might do if I feel like it):
0 - Zero Sum Game
1 - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
2 - Two Suns in the Sky
3 - Three Shadows / Power of Three
4 - Sing the Four Quarters
5 - Court of Fives
6 - Six Moon Dance
7 - On the Night of the Seventh Moon
8 -
9 - The Nine Billion Names of God
10 - Ten Little Indians
11 - Station Eleven

I gave myself lots of choices because I'm such a mood reader~
(hide spoiler)]

Amazin' Eights Challenge
Goal: 12
9/12

(view spoiler)[
Cards Played:
J of Spades - book with South American mythology by an ownvoices author - The Obscene Bird of Night
2 of Diamonds - book with at least 2 women or NB protagonists by a woman or NB author - A Song Below Water
6 of Clubs - book with characters with mobility issues by a non US/UK author - Wild Sky
5 of Clubs - book translated to English by a non US/UK author - Dragon Sword and Wind Child
7 of Spades - book with African or Caribbean mythology by an ownvoices author (The Jumbies)
9 of Hearts - book with southeast Asian mythology by an author of color (Forest of Souls )
A of Diamonds - book with LGBTQIA character(s) by a woman or NB author Want
6 of Hearts - book with characters with mobility issues by an author of color - The Labyrinth's Archivist
8 of Diamonds - WILD / MULLIGAN - A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
K of Clubs - book with characters who are neurodiverse by a non US/UK author - On the Edge of Gone
10 of Clubs - book with Indigenous characters by a non US/UK author (The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf)

Cards In Hand:


4 of Hearts - book with mental health as a focus by an author of color



(hide spoiler)]

Completed:
When Fox is a Thousand
In the Vanishers’ Palace
A Spark of White Fire
Elatsoe
The Unbroken
Cemetery Boys
Amatka
Mooncakes
Want

Read ALL the Books
Goal: 12
6/12

Completed:
The Best of All Possible Worlds
Fate of the Fallen
Children of Time
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Deeplight
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
(view spoiler)[
Potential Reads:
(and will also add some group reads):
The Obelisk Gate
Grass
Children of Time
Foundation
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
The Dispossessed
To Say Nothing of the Dog
Zoo City
Red Mars
The Sword of Kaigen
The Raven and the Reindeer
Moon of the Crusted Snow
Kindred
Wild Seed
Spinning Silver
A Night in the Lonesome October
(hide spoiler)]

TBR Challenge
Goal: 10
5/10

For me this challenge isn't one I'm trying too hard to complete. I think it's fun to find books that fit, and if I'm in the mood I'll read them. I enjoyed going back to my list in 2020 when I wasn't sure what to read next.
List:
(view spoiler)[
1. Take a gamble - Finders / Caster / Two Suns in the Sky
2. Red or black - All Systems RedBlack Sun / God Is Red: A Native View of Religion
3. Behind the eight ball - Flame in the Mist
4. Charade - The Tiger at MidnightDragon Pearl
5. Agreeable alliteration - Stolen SongbirdThe Starless Sea / Atlas Alone
6. Jackpot - The Poppy War
7. Pawns - The Better Part of Valor The Unbroken
8. An 8 or 21 - The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
9. Dealer's choice - Amatka / Everfair
10. X marks the spot - Point of Hopes
11. Murrderrrrr - All Systems Red
12. Back from the dead - Cemetery Boys
13. Features a game or puzzle - Court of Fives
14. I have no gift for strategy - The Tethered Mage
15. Features best friends - Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong / The Raven and the Reindeer
16. Queen of hearts - The Queen of Nothing
17. Role-play - We Set the Dark on Fire /
18. Amazing race - Children of Time
19. Taboo - Spin the Dawn
20. Critical hit - The Dispossessed
(hide spoiler)]

Explanations (hidden for length)
(view spoiler)[
1. Take a gamble – Reading books with under 1000 ratings can be a gamble
3. Behind the eight ball – MC seems to be in a lot of trouble
4. Charade -MCs hide their true identity
6. Jackpot – MC accomplished something no one thought possible
7. Pawns – Military sci-fi, characters feel like pawns of the empire
8. An 8 or 21 – August is the 8th month
10. X marks the spot – book involves solving a mystery (and when you need to find x, you have to follow the clues to find what you’re looking for)
11. Murrderrrrr – Murderbot
12. Back from the dead – MC accidentally summons a ghost and has to has to help said ghost
13. Features a game or puzzle – involves an athletic competition
14. I have no gift for strategy – character born into treacherous world of political machination
17. Role-play - characters play a role to avoid discovery
18. Amazing race – blurb includes phrase “race against time”
19. Taboo – character pretends to be someone else because it would be scandalous to do it as herself
(hide spoiler)]

Selections may change because I'm a mood reader :)
Completed:

Series Challenge
Potential Reads (hidden for length) (view spoiler)[

Longer Series Hainish Cycle
The Dispossessed
The Word for World is Forest
Rocannon's World
Planet of Exile
City of Illusions

Trilogy Folk of the Air
The Queen of Nothing

Genre Bender The Broken Earth
The Obelisk Gate
The Stone Sky

Favorite Author Kate Elliott
Unconquerable Sun OR
Court of Fives
Poisoned Blade
Buried Heart

New to You Author Adrian Tchaikovsky
Children of Time
Children of Ruin

Debut Author Romina Garber
Lobizona

Fantasy Stormlight Archive
Oathbringer
Rhythm of War
OR
The Hero of Ages

Science Fiction Wayfarers
Record of a Spaceborn Few

Quartet TBD
(hide spoiler)]

Completed:

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I like this style :D