SA Book & Challenge Lovers discussion

Thanks guys! Glad you like it :)

Updating now

Read 66 novels from your favorite genre provided that each title must be more than 333 pages.

Read the first published novel (full length) of 13 authors and then read 3 novels published before an authors death (thus that author's last novel).

Novels published after the author's death or completed by another author don't count. Self-published novels don't count they must be in print.

I think I must stop reading until April. Those are insane, Crusader!

Oh and can a book count for more than one challenge, Lu? Say yes! Say yes!

My initial idea was 666 books to keep with the theme. Had to settle for 333 pages and 66 titles. At least it's for your favorite genre. Diabolical would've been for one you hate!

I think Crusader's 66 books should be able to count for one more challenge. Please please.

Mmmm, perhaps 66 is a bit too much. It's be fine with reducing it to 33 if needed.

33 sounds reasonable. It fits with the 333 pages too.

I'm sorry, but I have to speak my mind. I like this challenge very much and I have already searched and even bought books for tasks. But aren't we getting a little carried away when there are nominations for tasks where you have to read 66 books for one task. Ok, Crusader already reduced his nomination to 33 books, but still... For Crusader and me that would be relatively easy because we read a lot of books but there are people in our group who don't read so much. In fact there are people who don't read 33 books in a year. I know, I checked. And even though I like challenges and I like them difficult and I even like them when they make me read books I haven't thought of reading before, I also like the challenges to be so constructed that every one has a chace to win or at least finish in a reasonable timeframe. If we go at this pace Crusader and I will be finished in a year, maybe two and some of the others will still be reading for this challenge when hell freezes over.
If the rest don't mind the tasks where you have to read more than 5 or even 10 books, I won't mind it either like I said I am a fast reader, but I just had to speak my mind and see what you guys think.

Hey Lauren, I've been trying for the last hour to find a book with the ratings from my birthday but still struggling - could you (or anyone) please help?

The date would be 25/06/88

Thank you so much!

Nomination : read an original greek mythology novel as close to the original text as you can get your hands on (obviously not greek)

I found The Time Traveller's Wife, from 4 March. Perhaps if you wait a little longer more will pop up.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com...

Barbara wrote: "I'm sorry, but I have to speak my mind. I like this challenge very much and I have already searched and even bought books for tasks. But aren't we getting a little carried away when there are nomin..."

Maybe if the 33 books can count for one other challenge too? Like if you chose fantasy, you can use 9 for the trilogy challenge, 6+ for the series with 6 books and so on. That would add up rather quickly.

Kahlan wrote: "I found The Time Traveller's Wife, from 4 March. Perhaps if you wait a little longer more will pop up.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com......"

Thank you so much Kahlan! I've been dying to read this book and now finally have the proper motivation! Thank you!

I am not sure where I stand on using a book in one challenge for multiple tasks. I think I would like it better if we didn't do that. And I don't mind reading the 33 books. Like I said at the rate I am going that is not hard for me, but I would like an honest challenge where everyone can compete and have a chance to win. With the task we have to do now we are well on our wau to 125 books. Like I said I can read that many books in a year and so can Crusader, but some other people read 30-40 books a year. So just to come at the number they have to read 3-4 years and then they can only read books for this challenge. I know we don't have a time limit, I was just wondering if other people thought we were getting a bit over the top, that's all. If the people who don't read as much as me don't mind, who am I to complain. I just wanted to put the thoughts out there and discuss whether or not there were people who thought it a bit much. It's like we are getting challenges in cvhallenges instead of tasks in challenges. (if you get my drift) But if no one else feels this way then I haven't said anything.

Ok I have updated

We need one more task by the way.

Ok Crusader your two tasks are what now? (lots of text at the top). What have you reduced it too now?

Lets see if we can make it workable

Lu, I'm beginning to to think the task I nominated : "14. A title with 4 or more words, each starting with consecutive letters of the alphabet" is too horrendously difficult. I've been searching for a book like that, but the things I've found are academic texts and some other dull things.
Could it be changed to 3+ words instead? That might be more do-able.

Yea I haven't been able to find one. I'll change it to 3

I think the 33 book challenge is WAY too much. I like the 666 idea, but a better way to do that could be something like read 6 books by 6 different authors in 6 different genres.
I was actually a bit unsure about using challenges that require more than 1 book, but then I figured this is supposed to be hard anyway. But 33 is too much, in my opinion.

That said, I don't think we should use 1 book in multiple challenges.

Agreed, Each book should be different.

Task 1: Read 33 novels from your favourite genre, provided that each novel must be at least 333 pages long.

Task 2: a) Read 9 debut novels by different authors (first actual novel in print by a major publisher).
b) Then read 3 novels published before the death of its author. (That author's last novel).

Restrictions: Debut novels must be in print by a publisher - no self-published ebook, or other version.

Last novels must have been completed and published before the author's death. No novels released after the fact, or completed by a co-author.

*****

My idea with the 66 (now 33) requirement was to give something that would take some time, even to the fast readers. Since there is no deadline I thought it would be a good thing.

I also don't see any problem with having books read for this task counting towards other task. What's also great is that all your "fun" reading can count to the 33 mark.

The fact that there is no deadline does allow for longer challenges, but doing such a long task is demotivating because it's a long time before you actually achieve anything. It will take about two years for most of us to finish this whole challenge, but at least you can complete a few tasks, achieve ranks. 33 books is too much of a long slog with little reward.

I agree. If you want to finish this challenge in 2 years a lot of people won't even have time to read "fun" books. And there are a lot of challenges give you the opportunity to do fun reads anyway, like the trilogy challenge and the pick a genre and read 6 different books written by 6 different authors from 6 different continents and there you have your 6 6 6 by the way and if I do say so myself I thought of that challenge :)
I don't mind reading more books for one challenge but not 33.

Bleh. You guys can come up with an acceptable number then. Don't really much care where it ends up.

I don't have any ideas about an exceptable number of books with 333 pages, but why not stick with your original idea. Like Lauren I like the 666 idea. So why not transform it into reading a number of books with exactly 666 pages. Anything from 1-3 I think would be reasonable.

And since this is a diabolical reading challenge why not read 3 books with a demon name in the title. wikipedia has a list with demon names that can be used to look for books. And with names I do mean names and not types of demons.

Something easy for No.40 if I'm not too late:
A one-word title with 10 letters.
(I can almost see Barbara in the bookshop counting out loud).

I'm going to change my task as follows, while sticking to the original goal.

Task 1:
Read 33 novels from your favourite genre provided that each novel is more than 333 pages OR you can choose to read 11 novels from your favourite genre, provided that each novel is by an author you haven't read yet and that each novel is more than 333 pages.

How does that sound? I think it's fair. Fast readers can opt to stay with the higher figure and not have to fuss about finding stuff to read. Slower readers get a third of the workload and they get to explore new authors at the same time!

I think that's a really good change!

As I figure we won't always be reading books for this challenge, and we'll be reading our comfort books which is our fav genre. This way even if you are not reading for the challenge it will fit in :)

Actually looking forward to it :D I can explore new authors!

And we now have all the nominations. Yay :)

Kahlan wrote: "Something easy for No.40 if I'm not too late:
A one-word title with 10 letters.
(I can almost see Barbara in the bookshop counting out loud)."

I like that challenge

Me too :) I love challenges that make you do treasure hunts for the right books.

I have to agree with Barbara
If this challenge gets to complicated and hard then I know I'll be giving it up soon after I've started... I love challenges, but I think we need to be realistic, unless this challenge is going to last for the next 10 years :).

Sorry guys, but I do read as much as I can, but reading 33 books for one challenge? Thats crazy... I already find the first part of the challenge hard :)

1. Read a book that takes place in 3 different mythical/imagined realms - parallel dimensions, mythical worlds. Planets do not count, unless they're in another dimension. Earth does not count either, so you can't read a book that features only Earth, heaven and hell, unless the book features a mythical place on Earth.
Also, you can't cheat by using 3 different cities in one mythical world or something.


For this one, would the Magicians Nephew count? It has different worlds that the children enter before finding Narnia

Yes, it would - there's the wood between worlds, the world where they find Jadis, and Narnia.

Yeah!
I'll reread that in a heartbeat, it was a really good story :)

Oh great! Now I have an excuse to read my Narnia books.

Yes you have :)
I think some others might come into the challenge as well

I'm starting to really look forward to the challenges involving series and new authors. I'm prepping my Kindle for travel, and loading lots things that are completely new to me. Many of the books I'm planning to read for the Women in Science Fiction bookclub are the beginning of series and there are so many sci fi and fantasy authors with long series. Can't wait to get started :)

I'm looking forward to!
I'm trying to collect as much books for the challenge as I can... so if any of you have any ebooks you want to email me for the challenge you are MORE than welcome :)

*Notice*

The 1500 page challenge is now a 1000+ pages

A question (sorry if it has already been asked) : can we re-read books when not stated that we can't?

Yea re-reads are fine :)

UPDATE

I just got of the phone with Lauren, and she informed me that:

7. Read a book that was nominated for an award/awards but never won (came in second :D)

It is supposed to be book that has NEVER won an ANY award EVER. It HAS to have been nominated tho

Update nr 14: Read any title with 3 or more words that are in alphabetical order eg. Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis. It doesn't have to be in consecutive order.