The first is Caribousmom's Themed Reading Challenge. I think that this one is such a neat idea! You pick the theme and then commit to read at least 4 books associated with that theme. The challenge runs from January 1st through June 30th. So I went over to my TBR bookshelf and found a VERY specific theme: Orson Scott Card religious fiction! Now, I'm normally not a fan of religious fiction, but as I've said before, Orson Scott Card can write just about anything...and he does. So here's my list for the Themed Reading Challenge:
- Saints by Orson Scott Card - This one is definitely considered a "chunkster." It's huge! I got this one for Christmas last year. It's the new Subterranean edition of the book with an amazing cover and is signed and personalized to me :)
- Stone Tables by Orson Scott Card - This one's been on my shelf for a while and is the one I'm most looking forward too. It's cards retelling of the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. This one's also signed.
- The Folk of the Fringe by Orson Scott Card - This is one of Card's sci-fi novels. It's about a nuclear attack set in the future and about a religious community trying to rebuild their society after the attack.
- Rebekah by Orson Scott Card - This is the second book in Card's Women of Genesis series. I read the first book, Sarah, last year and really enjoyed it.
- Rachel and Leah by Orson Scott Card - Sequel to Rebekah.
The other challenge has me so excited that I just don't know what to do with myself. Becky's hosting this one, she is the very cool person who won The Tale of Despereaux in yesterday's drawing. It is the Cardathon Challenge and everyone should join it! The challenge is all about my favorite author, Orson Scott Card! The greatest thing about this challenge is that there is something for everyone. Orson Scott Card has written Sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, religious fiction, political thrillers, horror novels, poetry, coming of age stories, short story collections, speculative fiction, etc. etc....The challenge is to read between 6-12 books (or more if you would like) that were written by Card, edited by Card, have an introduction by Card, or have been reviewed and recommended by Card! How cool! She has a whole site up and dedicated to the challenge that lists all of his many books and she's compiling lists of the books that he's recommended as well. I think that this is such a great challenge that will expose so many people to a wonderful author. I've incorporated the Themed Reading Challenge into this one along with the rest of Card's books that I haven't yet read. After these, I'll be all caught up with him! Here's my list:
- Invasive Procedures by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston
- War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card
- Saints by Orson Scott Card
- Stone Tables by Orson Scott Card
- The Folk of the Fringe by Orson Scott Card
- Rebekah by Orson Scott Card
- Rachel and Leah by Orson Scott Card
- Robota by Orson Scott Card and Doug Chiang
- Maps in a Mirror by Orson Scott Card
- Treason by Orson Scott Card
- Wyrms by Orson Scott Card
- Hot Sleep by Orson Scott Card
- First Meetings by Orson Scott Card
- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
- The Dead Zone by Stephen King
- The Stand by Stephen King
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
- The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
- The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling
- Eifelheim by Michael Flynn
- Prospero's Children by Jan Siegel
- Here, There be Dragons by James Owen
- The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
- The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson
- Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
- Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot
38 comments:
so...
your favorite author is Orson Scott Card eh?
hurrumph!.. and ppplllssstt!
(ducking and hiding)
correction....ONE of my favorite authors ;)
LOL.. I knew I could get ya!
Hey! how did today's interview go????
I think it went really well! Thanks for asking :) I'm excited about it, it sounds like a really good job and the lady I interviewed with was really sweet. I should hear something by the end of the week...must have been those crossed toes!
..gunna be hard keeping them crossed all week! argh! lol.. Sure hope you get it if you want it Chris!!
I feel REALLY sheepish saying I haven't heard much about Orson Scott Card. Guess I should get on that! I've already been looking at 2008 challenges...bad bad bad!
Nah, you're not crazy :P They are only for next year, after all. I'm seriously considering doing the Themed challenge too. It's an excellent idea. In fact, I already have my books picked, so I know I'm going to eventually join. I'm making my theme WW2.
The Cardathon challenge is tempting for me too, because as you know I've been meaning to read more of his work. I'll see how I like Magic Street, and then decide based on that.
I'm glad to hear the interview went well, btw! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
I'm keeping both of these challenges in mind since there is no rush on either one of them. One doesn't begin until January and the other lasts until "whenever." Since I already have Homebody on my list and plan on adding Treasure Box...I think I can manage.
Deslily, I officially give you permission to uncross them...just picture them crossed every now and then for me ;) I do want this one..hope it comes through!
Trish, Don't feel sheepish, you'd be surprised at the number of people who haven't heard of him. His most famous book is probably Ender's Game and it is a wonderful book. I highly recommend that as a start off book. It's sequel, Speaker for the Dead is my favorite book ever written :)
Yeah, I've been looking at 2008 challenges too as you can see...it's a sickness I tell you!
Nymeth, I saw your comment on Caribousmom's blog and had to laugh when I saw that you were planning 2008 challenges too! I'm not alone in this madness! To be honest, I've had this list planned for some time, haha!
I hope you decide to join the Cardathon Challenge. I really think you'd enjoy his work. It's another one of those great challenges with no definite end date (as of yet). And she said we can start whenever we want, so you can count Magic Street!
The interview went really well, thanks!...At least I think it did, I hope the interviewer thinks so as well. I haven't posted on it because I don't want to jinx it ;)
Jenclair, That's how I'm feeling too, no rush on either of them! 2008 feels like a blank slate for now, so I feel like I can fill the challenge book up, but surely by June of 2008 I'll be drowning and panicking in yet unfinished challenges! Glad to see that you're adding Treasure Box! It's a fun, spooky one :)
Hey Chris, welcome to the Themed Challenge! Nay, you're not crazy - just challenge obsessed! By the way, I really like your theme idea!
I don't think I've ever read anything by Orson Scott Card. What would you recommend for a newbie who doesn't usually enjoy sci-fi, but loves any other genre? (lol)
I had to giggle at you worrying about your sidebar. Mine is insanely crowded, which I know probably violates unwritten rules for blogging, but I love seeing all of my challenge pictures and lists right there. My favourite part is adding the strike through each read book. I think it's part of why I sign up for challenges!
Speaking of which, these both sound interesting, but I have committment issues, so I refuse to sign up for any 2008 challenges until 2008. They'll be in the back of mind though. :)
Wendy, Thanks, I don't feel so alone now ;) It's amazing the number of themes you can come up with when you take a look at the bookshelf! I figured this was a pretty unique one, so I'd go with that!
Eva, Lost Boys is an incredible book by Orson Scott Card, but to warn you ahead of time, it's a bit of a tear jerker. Enchantment is an amazing book as well, it's Orson Scott Card's take on the tale of Sleeping Beauty. Homebody is a modern haunted house tale. Treasure Box is a creepy ghost story. And if you're into religious fiction, I really enjoyed Sarah, which is the first book in his Women of Genesis series.
I'm already missing my challenges in the sidebar :( They may come back ;) I enjoy putting the line through them too! It's very fulfilling, and I'm still doing that on the other blog. I'm just a clutter freak, as in it freaks me out, so I couldn't take it anymore :p
EVA, One more thing..just saw in your profile that you like Gaiman and deLint....now that I know that, I have to recommend Orson Scott Card's Magic Street if you're a fan of Urban Fantasy...it's one of my favorite books of Card's...about a boy living in suburbia who discovers a portal to another dimension between two houses that leads him to the world of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream! I loved it!
Wow, best of luck to you on finishing all those challenges! Don't forget that some of the ones you are in this year will likely repeat next year. :)
I seriously need to read one Orson Scott Card book... I own a couple, so I will make every effort. :)
Kailana, I'm hoping to fit a good bit of the books I picked for the Cardathon Challenge into some of the other challenges that will repeat next year as well...quite a few should work out for the Once Upon a Time challenge for example.
You really should read some Card! He's great :)
I like the idea of the themed reading challenge, it will give me an excuse to read the rest of the LKH vampire huntress series next year if I sign up for it.
Don't shoot me but I haven't read any Orson Scott Card...
Yikes ! That's some serious reading there Chris! Good luck!
Thanks for all those suggestions! I'm going to pop on over to bookmooch now. :)
Yes, you are crazy!!! Hopefully some of this stuff can overlap so you can participate in my sci fi challenge in January! ;)
Rhinoa, I thought that they themed reading challenge was really cool too! It's great because you pick your own theme and there are endless themes that I could've chosen..sounds like a good one that you have! I actually thought of re-reading Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and then reading the rest of the series. The last one I've read was Tale of the Body Thief and then I stopped reading them..just sort of lost touch. I did read Merrick though, which I loved.
I won't shoot you for not having read Card ;) But the challenge is a great opportunity to!
Stephanie, I may not get to all of those :p but then again, like I said, the majority of those books can be worked into other challenges as well, so it's really not all that unrealistic. And they're all books that are either on my TBR bookshelf or books that I've been wanting to read for ages! So I'm psyched!
You're welcome Eva! Hope you enjoy them :)
Carl, It's Orson Scott Card! Of course it will overlap ;) Quite a bit of it will actually, and a bunch of it will fit into the once upon a time challenge as well. So it should all work out!
Oh, Crazy Chris! I'm crazy, too. So it's always nice to meet other crazies. I knew about the themed challenge and have been picking books for that one, but didn't know about the Card challenge. Thanks for the heads up. Of course, I want to join that one.
Love your selections.
Oh, I'm so glad to hear your interview went well!
I've been thinking about doing the themed challenge as well, but I haven't quite figured out a theme yet. There's just too many ways to go.
I've never read any of Card's work...have really only heard of him through you. I'm really tempted to do this one though...if you could maybe give me some suggestions of what might be good ones to start with.
By the way, that's quite a list you've got there! The Stand is probably my all-time favorite book! I'd hoped to read it again this summer, but didn't get to it.
Move The Name of The Wind up higher on your list. It was an really good book. Really good.
Booklogged, I think that there aren't enough of us crazy people out there in the world ;)
Debi, Card is wonderful! His most popular series is the Ender's Game series and there are actually 2 routes you can go with that one. The original series (and my favorite) follows the title character, Ender...It's Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead (my favorite Card book), Xenocide, and Children of the Mind. The other route starts with Ender's Game, but then follows another character named Bean. It's sequel is Ender's Shadow, then Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, and Shadow of the Giant. Ender's series is more philosophical/sci-fi and Bean's series takes on a more political/sci-fi feel. Both are great though. If these don't sound like your thing, let me know...He's written tons of other stuff!
I decided to read The Stand because I've heard so many people say that it's their favorite King book and Card recommended it as well. So I'm really looking forward to that one :)
Elizabeth, The Name of the Wind is one that I will definitely get to. I've heard nothing but good stuff about it and it was one of the highest ranked books by Orson Scott Card this year. Looking forward to that one!
Chris, I was laughing when I read about how you signed up for yet more challenges. I know just how you feel. Sometimes, we just have to do it in sptie of all sanity telling you otherwise.
Good luck!
lol... good luck with all of the challenges! They sound like fun, but with the unpredictability of when I'll get stacks of review books, I don't like to plan my reading out ahead of time. =}
Dark Orpheus, I think I was laughing as I typed this post :p, I figured I'd be reading anyway next year, why not go ahead and sign up for some challenges! If I don't finish them...no big deal.
Heather, I'm glad in a way that I don't receive many review books! Sure, it would be nice to get free books, but I would be the worst reviewer ever! I just received one about 2 weeks ago and I feel horrible, because it's still sitting at the bottom of the pile :/ You obviously do a great job with that though!
Heather,
I don't like to plan out my reading ahead of time either. Review copies, free books, come and go depending on the week. And life can be overwhelming. Sometimes you're just not in the mood to read a book. And you've got to move on to something else. That's why I have a very relaxed change-your-mind policy for the cardathon challenge. I'm not planning to follow a big list either. Just whatever I'm in the mood for when I'm at the library. If it gets read, I'll review it. Otherwise, there is always next time!
Chris,
I wanted to let you know that I've posted an entry to the challenge where I'm asking readers to share their stories...you can read me here, of course:
http://cardathon.blogspot.com/2009/01/sharing-your-story.html
Becky
Goodness. I'd go nuts! Reading more than two books by the same author within a year is something I almost never do, anymore. That hasn't always been true, but I've gotten weirder with age. ;) Best of luck on those challenges.
Bookfool, I'm the total opposite! Especially when it comes to Orson Scott Card. I think I may have read 20-25 books by him the year I discovered him. When I find an author that I really enjoy, I tend to read as many of their books as possible. I've always been like that. Although I've noticed that since I've started blogging and started discovering so many wonderful authors and books, there seems to be less time to do that...I'm always trying to squeeze in one more author that I've discovered.
Chris,
You've probably guessed this about me already, but I was the exact same way. I read anything and everything Card I could get my hands on that first year. And the weird-but-wonderful thing is that I find myself rereading many of his books yearly. I just can't go a year without revisiting Ender's Game. You would think I'd reach a point where it wasn't oh-so-magical for me, but after seven years, it still hasn't happened. I do plan on reading Speaker of the Dead soon. I put it on my Book Awards Challenge list for one thing. And second, I'll be trying to rereading as much of my Card titles as possible simply so I can blog about them. Ambitious, probably. Obsessed, definitely. But very, very happy. :)
Oh, and I meant to say I do that with other authors too. For example, right now I'm on a H.G. Wells kick I read one back in June, I believe, and I've read two this past week. I'm working my way through a 7-novels-in-one volume...and it's due back at the library next week :)
CLEARLY the poll quoted by CNN with its shockingly low statistics on how much people read did not interview you, Chris!! ;) You would have thrown ALL of their statistics off!! In fact, I'm just hoping that the pollsters prescreened the people they surveyed so that they didn't get people who read a lot. They clearly didn't call any of the bloggers on this site!
Take care! I hope you're doing well!
Becky, I'm so glad to find another equally obsessed fan ;) I'm glad to hear your reading Speaker for the Dead as well! It's my favorite! All I've read by H.G. Wells is The Time Machine, and I loved that book! It really is about time that I read more of his work. I've seen a few anthologies of his work at Barnes and Noble or Borders for decent prices...I should pick one up one of these days.
N, I've been doing pretty good recently, hope you all have been good too :) I'm beginning to be more and more skeptical of that reader's poll. To begin with, the whole survey consisted of just barely over 1000 participants, to which they generalized the results to all Americans. Then they threw in the statistic of "liberals read more than conservatives" and that's the quote that I've heard more than any other on any new show that's covered it...come to find out, the study was done by a liberal. Wonder what the real reason for doing this study was?
well, thats very sensible actually. not crazy at all. even more so since its only next year... it looks like it'll be great fun!
JP, I think it will be great fun :) I'm looking forward to it.
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