The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

Hettie wrote: "Laurie wrote: "Is eligible?"

Yes this will work as a sequel."

Thank you!

Shall be reading And Another Thing.... Shall finally get around to it!

This is an interesting and challenging task. Love it! I have a few ideas to check out:

Would the 4th in Maguire's Wicked series work, or just Wicked?

Out of Oz - Oh, my! I just read the description and I guess Dorothy shows up, so probably not;) - still sounds like a great conclusion, though!

Am I correct that the Young Bond series would work if the Sherlock Holmes does? It is the same idea -- James Bond as a teen:

Silverfin: Young Bond, Book 1

What about a series like Dragonlance? Most of the books are written by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, but there are many books in the universe written by other authors.

Would Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One be OK? It is supposed to be a continuation of Pride and Prejudice.

Does The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy work as a parallel story to Pride & Prejudice?

For: series written by someone OTHER than the original author

There is a series called The Royal House of Shadows

Each of the books are written by different authors. The first book is Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter. Would reading the second in the series Lord of Rage written by Jill Monroe work?

How about Sherlock in Love as a continuation/fill-in of the Sherlock Holmes' books?

Would the Avalon series by Marion Zimmerman Bradley work or any of VC Andrews books work?

Dee wrote: "so would Duty and Desire work - as it is part of P&P told from Darcy's perspective?"

Dee, sorry I missed this earlier. Duty and Desire looks like it would look fine as an alternative perspective.

BJ Rose wrote: "Since The Beekeeper's Apprentice works, does that mean that all the books in Laurie R. King's Holmes/Russell series will work? I'm up to A Letter of Mary

An..."

A Letter of Mary is fine BJ Rose, it still works as a series.

Robert Ludlum's Covert-One series would depend on which book you are interested in reading. The Hades Factor would not work as he has co-written it. The Moscow Vector would work as Robert Ludlum is creditied as creator of the series and Larkin did not co-write one of the previous books with Ludlum.

KSMary wrote: "I'm so glad that you approved Rhett Butler's People. I've had that sitting here TBR in what seems like forever! LOL"

Glad I have helped clear your TBR dust collectors a little. I am always happy when I am able to find a place for mine.

Michael wrote: "will the books in the 39 clues series work they are written by different autbhor's throughout the series"

Sorry Michael these do not qualify.

Jennifer L. wrote: "How about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls, the prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?"

Sorry Jennifer these are parodies and don't work for this task.

Sandy wrote: "Hettie, what about short story collections like Snows of Darkover or Free Amazons of Darkover? Short story collections, set in Darkover. There are a lot of these collecti..."

Sandy these would work fine as the original author has seems to have only written 1 or 2 stories in each of these anthologies.

Other anthologies such as this will work fine as long as any original author has only written 1 or 2 stories in the anthology.

Karen GHHS wrote: "This is an interesting and challenging task. Love it! I have a few ideas to check out:

Would the 4th in Maguire's Wicked series work, or just Wicked?

Out of Oz - Oh, my! I just re..."

Glad you are enjoying it Karen.

I am not sure about Out of Oz, the description on Goodreads implies that it is a retelling of the original story. Do you know if Dorothy is returning to OZ (i.e after the Wizard of OZ) or if this is her first appearance? If is is her first visit this will not qualify.

Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure and it's sequels all semms to work as a prequel to James Bond as they are set in the 1920's. Be aware that some of them seems to be graphic novels and the normal rules would apply to them.

Vicky wrote: "What about a series like Dragonlance? Most of the books are written by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, but there are many books in the universe written by other authors."

Any book that is written or co-written by either Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman would not work.

A book by another author would qualify. An anthology would also work as long as Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman have only written 1 or 2 stories in it.

Lindsey wrote: "Would Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One be OK? It is supposed to be a continuation of Pride and Prejudice."

Reading the description and some of the reviews I think that this falls into the same category as
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife: Pride and Prejudice Continues. By this I mean that it is unlike anything that Austen would have written.

If you think that it is in keeping with Pride and Prejudice in style let me know and I will add it to the approved list. It can be very hard just from the description and reviews to make a decision.

Randi wrote: "Does The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy work as a parallel story to Pride & Prejudice?"

This looks fine.

Jennifer N. wrote: "For: series written by someone OTHER than the original author

There is a series called The Royal House of Shadows

Each of the books are written by different authors. The first book is [book:..."

This will not qualify as it is in the same vein as 39 clues which is excluded in the task decription.

Janet wrote: "How about Sherlock in Love as a continuation/fill-in of the Sherlock Holmes' books?"

This works as a fill in and sequel

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would the Avalon series by Marion Zimmerman Bradley work or any of VC Andrews books work?"


What would you be using as your original for Mists of Avalon? Le Morte d'Arthur: King Arthur & the Legends of the Round Table?

I'm afraid that I do not know enough about either of the books to know if Mists of Avalon changes much from this book. If it is the same story told from the perspective of the women it is fine.

If anyone more familiar with these books?

V C Andrews will not work. From the author bio the last 2 book in an incomplete series were written by Andrews and just published after her death. Other books since then have all been written by another author but I could not find one that would be a sequel or prequel to one that Andrews read.

If there is a specific book you would like me to look at let me know.

Hettie wrote: "Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would the Avalon series by Marion Zimmerman Bradley work or any of VC Andrews books work?".."

The Mists of Avalon is the same story told from the perspective of the women and of course with different slants on what happened and why. I haven't actually read Le Morte d'Arthur, but Mists works as the same story as the rest of the Arthurian stories I've read. I haven't read the other books in the Avalon series, so can't speak for them.

BTW, I really enjoyed this book.

Sandy wrote: "Hettie wrote: "Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would the Avalon series by Marion Zimmerman Bradley work or any of VC Andrews books work?".."

The Mists of Avalon is the same story t..."

Thanks very much Sandy. That's what I though but not having read either I was not sure. I will add it to approved books.

i think my post got overlooked. in post 41 i asked:

i see The Penelopiad on the list. will you take it? sounds like it tells the story of what penelope was up to while odysseus was out and about during his "odyssey". thanks for your help! :)

Hettie wrote: "Randi wrote: "Does The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy work as a parallel story to Pride & Prejudice?"

This looks fine."

Thank you! Wow, I had no idea there were so so many Pride & Prejudice-based books!

Would Peter and the Shadow Thieves work for this task. This book is a prequel to Peter Pan as it covers what happened to Peter and the Lost Boys before they met Wendy.

kiki wrote: "i think my post got overlooked. in post 41 i asked:

i see The Penelopiad on the list. will you take it? sounds like it tells the story of what penelope was up to while odysseus was..."

Sorry Kiki I did indeed miss your post.

This looks fine, as it looks like a fill in. From the description it does not change the story only changes the perspective it is told from.

great, thanks so much! you got flooded with questions right around the time i asked mine, so it's totally understandable! :) seems like the hardest part of getting to create a task would be keeping up with the help threads! :)

Hettie wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Hettie wrote: "Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would the Avalon series by Marion Zimmerman Bradley work or any of VC Andrews books work?".."

The Mists of Avalon is the ..."

I wasn't specifically thinking Mists of Avalon per se. There are other books that are part of that series. If you go in chronological order of when the events happen Mists is at the end and the other books are prequels with different characters. I was thinking Priestess of Avalon.

Hi Hettie, will March by Geraldine Brooks work for a fill-in story for Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (March tells the story of the missing father)?

Hettie, good task for getting us stirred up and thinking. I am hoping The Bloodied Ivy will work as a continuation of the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe books.

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Hettie wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Hettie wrote: "Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Would the Avalon series by Marion Zimmerman Bradley work or any of VC Andrews books work?".."

[book:The Mists of Avalon|..."

Jayme it all depends on which book you are thinking of them being a prequel for. If it is fro Mists of Avalon then no they will not fit the task as they are written by the original author.

If you were thinking of using Le Morte d'Arthur as the original book you need to make sure that the stories would be a true continuation. If they are then it is fine.

Liora wrote: "Would Peter and the Shadow Thieves work for this task. This book is a prequel to Peter Pan as it covers what happened to Peter and the Lo..."

This is fine as a prequel.

Shannon wrote: "Hi Hettie, will March by Geraldine Brooks work for a fill-in story for Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (March tells the story of the missing father)?"

Great fill in title. It's going on my TBR list. (Not that it need any more LOL)

Donna Jo wrote: "Hettie, good task for getting us stirred up and thinking. I am hoping The Bloodied Ivy will work as a continuation of the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe books."

Yes this will work fine

kiki wrote: "great, thanks so much! you got flooded with questions right around the time i asked mine, so it's totally understandable! :) seems like the hardest part of getting to create a task would be keepi..."

It has been an eye opening experience. I have been amazed by the response and it has been really interesting to see all the ideas that people have had.

My respect for our amazing moderators has grown in leaps and bounds over the last few days. I have only had 1 task to keep an eye on. They have many more balls to juggle and do it so well.

Thanks, Hettie. And you are so right about the moderators--and they manage to fit reading into all this too. Wonder Women,the lot of them!

For the Avalon series, Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote the first few, starting with The Mists of Avalon. Then Diana L. Paxson wrote the last 3 beginning with Ancestors of Avalon then continuing with Ravens of Avalon and Sword of Avalon So I am assuming the last three will work for this task?

not only manage to fit in reading, but 2 of them finish the challenge routinely

Donna Jo wrote: "Thanks, Hettie. And you are so right about the moderators--and they manage to fit reading into all this too. Wonder Women,the lot of them!"

Beth NC wrote: "For the Avalon series, Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote the first few, starting with The Mists of Avalon. Then Diana L. Paxson wrote the last 3 beginning..."

If the last three work I can read either Swords of Avalon or Ravens of Avalon. I have those.

Hettie: Love the challenge. Will THE WIND DONE GONE by Randall work - - with Gone With the Wind - -Story about Scarlett's half sister, by her father and one of his salves - - same characters.

Beth NC wrote: "For the Avalon series, Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote the first few, starting with The Mists of Avalon. Then Diana L. Paxson wrote the last 3 beginning..."

Yes they will work. Sorry for the confusion it seemed like Marion Zimmer Bradley was down as the author for them as well on the goodreads description of the book.

As Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote Mists of Avalon alone then any book that Diana L Paxon wrote alone will be fine.

Ancestors of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon and Sword of Avalon are all approved.

The Forest House and Lady of Avalon are not approved as it Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote these with Diana L. Paxson. (Information from www.avalonbooks.net)

Oh, I just remembered Kenneth Oppel's new prequel:

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein

Leslie wrote: "Hettie: Love the challenge. Will THE WIND DONE GONE by Randall work - - with Gone With the Wind - -Story about Scarlett's half sister, by her father and one of his salves - - same characters."

Yes this will work as a fill in.

Is is possible to use the James Potter books?

James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing

James Potter and the Vault of Destinies

They are about the children of Harry Potter @ Hogwarts, and not written by JK Rowling?

I am pretty sure that Peter and the Starcatchers is ok since the second book peter and the shadow thieves is already approved but I wanted to make sure.

What about Carte Blanche which is the latest James Bond novel but was not written by Ian Fleming?

Christine US wrote: "Is is possible to use the James Potter books?

James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing

James Potter and the Vault of Destinies

They are about the child..."

Yes these will work as a sequel. Before reading please make sure that you can get them verified in the appropriate thread as there is no print alternative.

Ashlea wrote: "I am pretty sure that Peter and the Starcatchers is ok since the second book peter and the shadow thieves is already approved but I wanted to make sure."

Yes this is fine.