Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

The Walloping Wolpertingers' Marauding Monsters 2023


Team Members:
Jenny
Judith
Angie
Lexi
Kate
Donna

Links:
Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Master List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Greek Wheel: https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Typhon&am...
Asia Wheel:https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Ropen&amp...
Urban Myths Wheel:https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Hoop%20Sn...
Human Monsters Wheel:https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Mr.%20Bur...
Overly Specific Literary Monsters: https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Behemoth%...
Dr. Who: https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Ood&c...
Bad Romance: https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Hot%20Pro...
Vegi-Might: https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Ent&c...
Discworld: https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Mr%20Salz...
World: https://wheeldecide.com/?c1=Anders%20...

Rules
1.) Each monster has a set of required tasks that must be completed in order to vanquish the monster.

2.) Books can be used to complete more than one task, but only for the same monster. If you can find a single book that meets all five tasks, congratulations, you defeated the monster with just one book! Expect other teams to notice this and copy your choice ;)

3.) Teams/individuals can have up to 5 monsters to vanquish at any time.

4.) Monsters are assigned at random and may be repeated by the same team/individual.

5.) We like players to be creative, that's what makes this fun. However, please do not hurt yourself over thinking the tasks. If there still is some indecision, post in the Q&A thread or just find a different book.

6.) Once you vanquish a monster and get a replacement it should be considered locked and you cannot swap out books.

Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

First Five Monsters:

1. Centaurs
2. Colchian Dragon
3. Sirens
4. Chimera
5. Colchian Dragon Chimera Manticore

(re-spun 5 to avoid duplicates)

Oh my god, that picture!!!!!
Can we please call ourselves "Jackalopes are Totally Real"?????

We do need a team name. I am fine with that one but due to the wings, the picture is a German Wolpertinger

I love this, you all are so my people

And look, Sirens! A monster Lexi and I never managed to get during TT.

Too bad I already read True Biz

Lexi wrote: "We do need a team name. I am fine with that one but due to the wings, the picture is a German Wolpertinger"

So the Germans found a Jackalope and jiggered around with the genome to add wings. And Fangs. Damned good idea.

*waves*

Happy new year folks :)

Judith wrote: "And look, Sirens! A monster Lexi and I never managed to get during TT.

Too bad I already read True Biz"

We also never had Centaurs so 2 new ones and no snek (yet)

Also, I added 2 books to the spreadsheet and feel free to claim as many spots as you want

What about Walloping Wolpertingers? I'm up for anything and I'm excited - missed this on TT this summer so excited to play. Going to go and claim some now.

Hi everyone!

I like The Walloping Wolpertingers!

It is not silly at all.

Works for me!

Sounds good, name has been updated everywhere

This will be my major contribution. 😂

What are our thoughts as a team in using non-standard books for this challenge? I know it’s officially allowed. I have some poetry and comics I’m reading this week and some unverifiable children’s books.

I would say go for it, it’s one of the only chances you’ll get to use them for challenges

It's fine with me. I don't read a lot of non-standard books - try to read one book of poetry every year, but that's about it - but if you want to, I agree with Judith. Go for it!

I was just checking to see when the new Murderbot book comes out, and I saw that there is a 2 page story available from that universe.
What do you think? Too short?

teehee

All of mine are over 100 pages which is my personal cut off for calling it a book but word count is either clearly too short or unverifiable.

I was kidding. I wouldn't go below 100 either.

Heading out to a girl's weekend so I will get some reading done but no internet access. Hoping to have all three done by Sunday! If someone has something for the book I have in the Asia Minor slot take it as that one will take me the longest and I will start it last!

Have a good trip

How much of "takes place on a ship" do we need, do you all think? I just finished a book that takes place partly (maybe a quarter of the story) on a ship.

Jenny wrote: "How much of "takes place on a ship" do we need, do you all think? I just finished a book that takes place partly (maybe a quarter of the story) on a ship."

at least 50%, same for the locations, cover color, etc

Kate wrote: "Heading out to a girl's weekend so I will get some reading done but no internet access. Hoping to have all three done by Sunday! If someone has something for the book I have in the Asia Minor slot ..."

I swapped out your Asia Minor task because the book I found for War also takes place in Italy. It's also a long one though so feel free to swap it back.

That works! I will finish Faceless Killers tonight most likely and then will look for something else for tomorrow.

*Update: Finished Faceless Killers and I'm about 66% through the audiobook version of Leonardo Da Vinci. I have about 5.5 hours left so I should finished that by Wednesday depending on the amount of audiobook time I get today and tomorrow. It's usually when I'm in the car.

First monster done and we got Nemean Lion as our next one

I saw this on an audible sale today that works for takes place on a ship & rope on cover.

I won't be able to start it until I finish Beneath the Scarlet Sky which is a longish audio. Thought I'd share though in case it appealed to someone. No idea if it's any good

Are we good with spaceship as a ship? That might be easier for this group. Also, I have a rope book but have some others I want to read first.

Judith, that book looks like a hoot, but I likely wouldn't get to it this week.

Lexi, I am good with spaceship, and I am reading one right now that would work for that. I will await judgement before posting it. Or at least wait until I get home from work.

works for me! I finished my 550+ page book this afternoon on the drive home. I will look and see if I have anything for any of the remaining prompts as well.

It’s a no on spaceship. The task is tied to the monster so it needs to involve water

Aha! So, a spaceship that penetrates the ice of Enceladus and dives beneath the surface is fair game. Got it! teehee

The second book in Suzanne Palmer's Finder series actually works for this scenario. Lots of submarine work on Enceladus.

If any of you are looking for a fun series that no one has heard of, this is a good one. Starts with .

Anyone interested in reading Game Changer?

We only have 2 volunteers right now for DQ writing.

Judith wrote: "Anyone interested in reading Game Changer?

We only have 2 volunteers right now for DQ writing."

Not particularly, but I will step up if no one else does.

Where are all the people who voted for it?

No idea, this happens a lot.

E and I can split it up, don’t read it if you aren’t that interested

It is pretty amazing how many people vote v actually read. 75 voted for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and you had 7 readers. There really seems to be a very small subset who read. I'll join Middlegame next month but neither appealed to me this month. I’m going to try one a month but January has been a fail so far.

Middle game is available on KU for those who have it

So. You lovely mods have tried to entice people to the BOMs with a carrot. Perhaps it is time for the stick.
If someone votes three times for winning books and doesn't participate in any of the three BOMs, then take ten points from their next team challenge, or give them extra hard levels for individual changes, and no more pretty jewels until they deign to answer some DQs.

There. Done.

I may reread Middlegame, but I am not sure yet.

The Chimera has been defeated!

New Monster: Mare of Diomedes.

Tasks on the spreadsheet. I started that children's pirate themed book and grabbed the rope/ship tasks for Siren.

Is this cover too desert-y for an open plain on cover?

A desert is actually a type of plain so it works. It’s not prairie (what most people picture when you say plain) but it’s a plain.

It came up during TT and we allowed it so you can certainly use it now

I think Magic Rises might also have a poisoning but can’t remember

Lol, never mind about that, Angie’s got it covered

Well, it looks like I am off to read a probably meh cozy mystery that now fits two challenges!!!

Thank you!

I was finishing up the book with people being poisoned; it wasn't planned for the task! Lol! Feel free to move it - I don't mind.

OOOOOO, I will go look now. I've been trying to get things wrapped up at work before two full weeks of conferences. UPDATE - well you all are fast! I just don't have anything at the moment for the Persia one.