You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

This is the thread in which you post your points.

Challenge rules:

August is National Inventor's Month. There is a genre devoted to inventions. It's called Steampunk. The challenge this month is to read a book from that genre. For ideas go here:

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/618.B...
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5999....
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3760....

The book you choose for this challenge must be started no earlier than August 1st and be finished before September 1st. In other words, it is to be read between August 1 and 31st.

The book may be in any format - hardcover, paperback, ebook, or audiobook.

It must be at least 200 pages long. To determine the number of pages, do a search for the book using the Goodread's search. The first version that comes up will be the one we use to determine the number of pages regardless of the version you read or listen to.

Point qualifiers - 1 point each except where otherwise noted.

Themes:
Victorian Age
Adventure
Mystery
War
Part of a series (an extra point if the series is a trilogy)

Location/Setting:
England
Spain
Australia
Russia
Planet other than Earth
New York
Japan
Ireland

Author:
Last name begins with A
English
Has an initial
Is deceased (ew that sounds morbid)
Is NOT a Goodreads author

Titles Contain:
More than four words
The word God
The word Clock
The word Steam

Covers:
Feathers
A partial face
An airplane or balloon (an extra point if it's a balloon)
Colours Red & Blue
A doorway


BONUS POINTS:

August Events - 2 points each
Friendship Day - the story is about 2 very close friends
Aviation Day - has an airplane in the story.
Aviation Day - has a balloon or zeppelin in the story (4 points awarded)
Coast Guard Day - is set on, under, or beside the ocean
IBM PC Day - has a computer in the story

Page Length:
Less than 200 pages - DEDUCT ONE POINT
200 - 299 pages - 1 point
300 - 399 pages - 2 points
400 - 499 pages - 3 points
500 pages or greater - 4 points

Miscellaneous:
Is this a new genre? - 2 points
Did you give it 4 or 5 stars? - 2 points
Was it on your TBR list? - 2 points


Sample Report:

The Alienist

Themes: Victorian Age, Mystery, Part of Series = 3
Location: New York = 1
Author: Not Goodreads Author = 1
Title: = 0
Cover: = 0
Bonus Points: Coast Guard Duty = 2
Pages: 512 = 4
Misc: 4 stars = 2

Total = 13

Although this book was on the listopia for Steam Punk, it is not Steam Punk. I thought I would use this an example since it's the only book I've read in this genre.

Leviathan

Themes: Adventure, War, Part of a trilogy = 4
Location/Setting: England = 1
Author Is NOT a Goodreads author = 1
Title = 0
Cover = 0
BONUS POINTS:
Friendship Day - the 2 main characters in Leviathan became friends (does that count?) = 2?
Has an airplane in the story = 2
Has a balloon or zeppelin in the story (4 points awarded) = 4
Page Length: 440 pages = 3
Miscellaneous: a new genre = 2
3 stars = 0

Total = 19?

Wow! That was fast, May. :) Yes, I score 19 at well. What did you think of the genre? Will you read more steampunk books?

I definitely want to read the other 2 books in the Leviathan series. Many on GR commented that they get better and better.

With steampunk, it's like going to an amusement park for me, in a good way. It's fun and adventurous, though not something I'll do often. Next time when I want to read something different and unpredictable, I'll reach for a steampunk book.

I'm glad that it was a postitive experience for you, May.

Judy, add 2 points for the zeppelin on the cover. (The zepp is a type of balloon.) Add 1 point for the red and blue on the cover.

I calculate 24 points, Judy.

Darwinia

Themes:
Victorian Age
Adventure
Mystery
War

Location/Setting:
England
Spain
Australia
New York
Ireland

Is NOT a Goodreads author

Colours Red & Blue

Coast Guard Day - is set on, under, or beside the ocean

300 - 399 pages - 2 points

Was it on your TBR list? - 2 points

15 points

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
I read this in kindle format - this is the first unabridged cover which comes up on good reads.
Victorian age 1
Adventure 1
Mystery 1
Deceased author 1
Not a good reads author 1
More than 4 words in title 1
Coast guard day 1
448 pages 3
Total = 10
Makes a change to read classic sci fi, but it went on in the same vein for a looonnng time. There's only so many descriptions of fish I can enjoy.

I don't think I'd be all that enchanted with descriptions of fish either. :)

Add an extra point for Coast Guard Day (that was a 2 point bonus). That makes for a total of 10 points.

I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Themes:
Adventure
Part of a series

Location/Setting:
England
Planet other than Earth

Author:
Last name begins with A
English
Is deceased
Is NOT a Goodreads author

Titles Contain:
More than four words

Covers:
A partial face (does it count if it's a planet sticking out it's tongue?)
Colours Red & Blue

BONUS POINTS:

Aviation Day - has an airplane in the story. (not an airplane, but spaceships, does this count?)
IBM PC Day - has a computer in the story

Page Length:
200 - 299 pages - 1 point

So, either 12 or 14 points total.

I am reading Howl's Moving Castle because it was on one of the listopia's however I am having a hard time determining if it is in the right genre. Has anyone else read it? It is more like "fantasy" than steam punk. however I know the animated movie was steampunk.

I can't find any reference to it being steampunk except on the listopia. I'm wondering if the fact that the doors of the castle open to different locations is what makes it steampunk. I see that two of my friends who love steampunk have both read it. I will ask for their opinion.

It doesn't much resemble the few steampunk novels I've read. The 'doors' weren't really contraptions, either. No zeppelins, no clockwork, no steam, no Victorian age...

Good book though - I hope you're glad you read it anyway!

Kipahni wrote: "I am reading Howl's Moving Castle because it was on one of the listopia's however I am having a hard time determining if it is in the right genre. Has anyone else read it? It is more like "fantasy"..."

I asked my friend and she would consider it steampunk. :)

Hm. Did she say why, what about it worked?

I mean, I'm glad Kipahni's going to get credit, but I thought Howl ws fantasy. I'm going to ask one of my acquaintances. :)

Egad! I'd better get a move on. I'm only 2 chapters into my choice. LOL!

BTW, on my other group, "More than Just a Rating," we got into a big discussion of steampunk. BunWat (whom you may know from Feedback and other groups), who is quite well-versed in this kind of stuff, says Howl's Moving Castle shouldn't have been on the Listopia. Probably, Amber, some of the books you've already read and classified as sci-fi or fantasy aren't actually steampunk either. It's become a loose term, used too much in marketing and casual conversation, according to the consensus of that discussion.

Not that any of that matters. I'm grateful to Janice for choosing this "newish to most of us" genre, and it's fun to see all of us reading stuff that's related to it. :)

Amber, I see you gave your book 4 stars. Are you going to read the rest of the series? I did, and didn't regret it.

I agree - a good read for many adults, a *great* read for many children. :)

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "BTW, on my other group, "More than Just a Rating," we got into a big discussion of steampunk. BunWat (whom you may know from Feedback and other groups), who is quite well-versed in this kind of st..."

It's interesting, because on Wikipedia, the movie is classified as steampunk, yet the book isn't. Perhaps it was reworked to make the movie. Bun Wat is extremely knowledgable. If she says it's not; it's not. :)

Because the book is listed on the listopia, and we are all just learning what is or isn't SP, I will accept the book for the challenge. Is that fair enough?

I suspect that people don't know what steampunk is and are treating it with a wide brush, much like historical fiction.

I suspect the book I'm reading isn't steampunk either. So far, there has been nothing that fits in with the definition of the genre and I'm wondering if the use of the word "gaslight" is what has prompted people to call it steampunk.

I don't think mine should count, I know what steam punk is I just wasn't sure if in the book later on it gets more steam punkish... I am 50 pages from the end and I don't think it is going to get there. It is def FANTASY, but I wouldn't call it steam punk. So I am okay with not counting it because I like to stay as close to the rules as possible. As a way to console myself I am knitting some neo victorian fingerless mitts and boot spats so I am joining this months challenge in spirit. hahaha

Ok. Your call the Kipahni. :)

I'm not sure my book counted, either, really. Maybe those folks who read authentic steampunk should get a couple of bonus points, but the rest of us should count our books anyway.

I'm really not sweating it, though. It's been fun exploring the "broad brush" limits and talking with you-all and with BunWat. It seems we all have been enjoying what we've been reading, pretty much.

Kipahni, plz post pictures when you're done?

sure, I entered the mitts into the county fair so when it comes back I will share

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24493928...

photog of the gloves- they won a blue ribbon

The mitts are so cute, Kipahni! I love the ruffle at the wrist. :)

How long did they take to make? You might want to consider opening an Etsy shop.

Nice knitting Kipani!

Judy- Thank you. The Lab Rat is a personal favorite as it meshes everything I love, science, art and cute animals.
Janice- The ruffles are my favorite part too!
Cheryl, hmmm like maybe a day. I have thought about etsy shop but I just don't want to go there yet, I would hate for anything I love to become to feel like a job. Besides, nursing pays too good! Hahaha
Alison- Thank you very much

Yes, my dad has a carpentry workshop and actually makes toys and small furniture sometimes - but will not do anything remotely like 'turning the hobby into a job' :)

Magic Under Glass (This is not the edition I actually read so my cover points are based on the edition I read which was

Themes:War,Part of series (actually the first in the series, more coming soo) - 2pt
Location: Wasn't really positive about this so I did some minor investigating, the author herself writes that she imagines the setting like an "alternate earth" so I'm giving it 1 point for "Planet other than Earth" - 1pt
Author: 0
Title: 0
Cover: Partial Face, color-blue (text) - 2pts
Bonus Points: Friendship - 2pts!
Pages: 225 - 1pt
Misc: new genre - 2pts

Total: 10

Hope I did ths right! The book was on one of the listopia things. I had never heard of this genre before and I am really not completely sure this book was "steampunk" but the list said it was...so that is my agruement. haha. To me it seems more fantasy ish because of the "fairy" and "socerorers" but there is also the clockwork automatron thing...It was different from other things I've read that were fantasy though. I'd probably read the next book she writes for this series, the story didn't exactly end...I mean it did but almost like another adventure was about to begin kind of way. First time I've done a challenge! I hope I can do more!

It sounds like it could be steampunk with the clockwork automatron. Thirty-six people listed it as steampunk on the book's page.

Check out Challenge #4 for September. It has been posted.

I finished my selection for this challenge The Gaslight Dogs .

It was listed in the Best Steampunk Books listopia but I fail to see that it is steampunk, so I won't consider that I have completed the challenge, not that it matters. I'm exempt from the scoring much like contests that state "employees are not eligible to participate".

My review is here if anyone is interested. It explains more of why I do not think it's steampunk.

You know the more I think about it the more it seams like steampunk as written book is much harder to classify as it will either become sci-fi, fantasy or victorian.
I just mean that it is more like steam punk to me is a visual or audio experience because it is hard to draw on discriptors of automatic macro-machines that may not even exist
On a side note check out these steampunk works of art

http://boyofbow13.files.wordpress.com...

http://www.datamancer.net/steampunkla...

Oooh... I like that laptop! LOL!

Steampunk is an offshoot of science fiction with a hugh fantasy quotient and generally is set in the Victorian era. It also includes steam power or clockwork type technology. One of these days I'm going to read Boneshaker just to get a taste of steampunk.

I hope everyone enjoyed this challenge and perhaps learned a bit about the genre.

I will try to post the standings tonight... and come up with a new badge. I'm a little preoccupied right now as my mother had a stroke the other day. I'll be headed to my parent's on the weekend, so I will do my best to get this done tonight.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

Janice wrote: "I hope everyone enjoyed this challenge and perhaps learned a bit about the genre.

I will try to post the standings tonight... and come up with a new badge. I'm a little preoccupied right now as m..."

You definetly have more important things on your mind! Hope she makes a good recovery.

Oh no Janice...:( (hugs)
thoughts and prayers for you and family. Take care of your family and your mom...do whatever needs to be done, what doesn't get done here - doesn't matter - at least that's how I feel. Family is definitly more important.

I was waiting for a client today, so managed to figure out the results of the challenge.

Standings:
Judy - 24
May - 19
Cheryl - 15
Emma - 14
Amber - 13
Alison - 11
Robin - 10

Congratualations Judy! You are the challenge winner with a whopping 24 points. Here is your badge:



The participants' badge is:




I hope everyone had fun. :)

Congrats Judy, well done!

And thank you Janice for the badge. I hope your mum gets well soon.