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2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-08 6:43 AM (#5937)
Subject: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Hello all
 
Welcome to the 2014 Masterworks Challenge thread.  I created this challenge because I have been looking at these lists for a while and kept telling myself I will get to these important classics.  Well, now I have "publically" committed myself to read at least 12 by starting this challenge.  
For those who have joined me, thank you, now we can take this journey together.
 
The requirements are simple  -  read 12 books from the the combined Masterworks lists (SF Masterworks, SF Mistressworks, and Fantasy Masterworks).  Only two small stipulations:

  - You must read at least two books from each of the 3 lists, and

  - Write 6 reviews of the books read (and to be candid, is the real challenge for me

 Please use this thread to discuss all things Masterworks, and some thoughts on your reading.

 Good Luck to all, and enjoy the journey.

      Michael. (aka ILikeMaps

 



Edited by ILikeMaps 2014-01-08 6:49 AM
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Administrator
Posted 2014-01-08 7:29 AM (#5942 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Great challenge, Michael, and a very nice challenge logo too!  I'm really tempted to get in on this one but I'm on 2 already.  Still.....
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justifiedsinner
Posted 2014-01-08 9:33 AM (#5949 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Mmm. My main challenge is WoGF2 but since that gives me 6 books on the Mistressworks list and since I have 12 on my TBR that are on the Masterworks list (but only 1 on the Fantasy Masterworks) I could well cover both.
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DrNefario
Posted 2014-01-08 11:06 AM (#5952 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Yes, I'm wondering if I could get this one as a freebie, too.
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-08 12:36 PM (#5954 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Thanks Dave for your kind comments.  I had fun putting together the logo.

Three challenges? my that would be ambitious. But as others have said, you might be able to manipulate the books where you can almost make this one a "freebie."

I am still tempted to develop a second RYO Challenge. A one book read called "Game WWEnd". The book would be Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov, which sits near the bottom (#262 with 100 reads) of the WWEnd Most Read Books of All-Time list. The purpose would be to see how far we could raise it up the list in 2014.

Oh, one more thing, would it be possible to add the link to this thread under the description.

Thanks again for the wonderful site

Michael



Edited by ILikeMaps 2014-01-08 12:38 PM
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daxxh
Posted 2014-01-08 12:48 PM (#5957 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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I am also wondering if I could squeeze this one in, since a lot of the books I want to read for the WoGF Challenge are on the Mistressworks list. My problem is that I read a lot of other stuff and I have a decent hold list at the library that don't qualify for any of the challenges.

I may add this one later after I see how fast I am reading.
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-08 7:28 PM (#5964 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Just checked - after one day,  there are now 9 participants signed up for the 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge -- I'm blown away.  

But even more amazing is that gondagt was the first to finish a book, Tau Zero by Poul Anderson from the SF Masterworks list -

congrats to Geza Gonda (aka gondagt).

I just began my first book in the challenge - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by PKD. I'm looking forward to some of that noir, dystopian, Blade Runner atmosphere.

Michael 



Edited by ILikeMaps 2014-01-08 7:38 PM
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Administrator
Posted 2014-01-08 11:34 PM (#5967 - in reply to #5949)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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justifiedsinner - 2014-01-08 9:33 AM Mmm. My main challenge is WoGF2 but since that gives me 6 books on the Mistressworks list and since I have 12 on my TBR that are on the Masterworks list (but only 1 on the Fantasy Masterworks) I could well cover both.

Trying to find the books that cover many different challenges is an addictive game!  The winner is the person who can read the fewest books whilst still finishing the most challenges.

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Administrator
Posted 2014-01-08 11:47 PM (#5968 - in reply to #5954)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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ILikeMaps - 2014-01-08 12:36 PM  I am still tempted to develop a second RYO Challenge. A one book read called "Game WWEnd". The book would be Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov, which sits near the bottom (#262 with 100 reads) of the WWEnd Most Read Books of All-Time list. The purpose would be to see how far we could raise it up the list in 2014.

Oh, one more thing, would it be possible to add the link to this thread under the description.

Thanks again for the wonderful site

Michael

I LOVE this idea!  You can actually make a 1 book challenge though if that caught on we could be flooded with singles.  Not sure anyone would want to wade through a bunch of those trying to find a "real" challenge.  You could do a 12 month challenge and every month call out a different title from the list for everyone to read.  Do a follow the leader/book group style challenge where everyone reads the same titles at the same time.  It would be fun to see a couple titles rise up the ranking!

For the forum thread you can cope the URL and paste it into the edit screen for the challenge.  I can't access the DB at the moment so I can't do it right now.

So glad you're enjoying the site and we love to see all the buzz here in the forums for the various challenges.  With 10 challenges in the first 2 days we may end up with quite a few as the year goes on.  Interesting that we haven't seen any mini-challenges yet.  3 month runs or short 6 book challenges.  Or for that matter there have been no challenges over 12 books yet either.  Plenty of time for those still!

 

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Deven Science
Posted 2014-01-09 12:52 AM (#5969 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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I'm considering joining in on this challenge, but I have a couple of problems. One, I don't read with the kind of speed that could complete 12 books in a year anymore, and even if I could, I usually alternate my reading between fiction and non-fiction, to force myself to read more of the "non" variety. Two, I'm very interested in the SF Masterworks list, but I would be hard pressed to find two off of the Mistress and Fantasy lists. I'm not sure why, but few female writers have ever grabbed me, and magic/sword and sandal/castles do nothing for me.

Still, even knowing I won't finish, it might be fun to see how close I could come, and it might help challenge me to find some female authors and fantasy novels that I can enjoy.
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DrNefario
Posted 2014-01-09 5:13 AM (#5970 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Twelve's quite a good number for me, because it's doable without being too much of a burden, especially if I get some crossover between challenges. If I'm going to sign up for many more they'll need to be shorter, though.

Anyway, I need a ruling.

Two of my Masterworks are actually omnibuses: Helliconia and Riddle-Master's Game (which is incorrectly listed as just the first volume, Riddle-Master of Hed, in the database, unless they did a single-volume version too). Does reading one book from the omnibus count, or do I have to read the whole lot? I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen in a single year with Helliconia, at least.
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-09 7:02 AM (#5971 - in reply to #5968)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Administrator - 2014-01-08 12:47 AM  - I LOVE this idea!  You can actually make a 1 book challenge though if that caught on we could be flooded with singles.  Not sure anyone would want to wade through a bunch of those trying to find a "real" challenge.  You could do a 12 month challenge and every month call out a different title from the list for everyone to read.  Do a follow the leader/book group style challenge where everyone reads the same titles at the same time.  It would be fun to see a couple titles rise up the ranking!

 

Will think about how to make it work, I might make it a 3 month challenge, with the goal of seeing how high we can raise a bottom level book up the rankings.  If it catches on, could do four of them through the year. 

 Thanks for the support

Michael

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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-09 7:26 AM (#5972 - in reply to #5969)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Deven Science - 2014-01-08 1:52 AM I'm considering joining in on this challenge, but I have a couple of problems. One, I don't read with the kind of speed that could complete 12 books in a year anymore, and even if I could, I usually alternate my reading between fiction and non-fiction, to force myself to read more of the "non" variety. Two, I'm very interested in the SF Masterworks list, but I would be hard pressed to find two off of the Mistress and Fantasy lists. I'm not sure why, but few female writers have ever grabbed me, and magic/sword and sandal/castles do nothing for me. Still, even knowing I won't finish, it might be fun to see how close I could come, and it might help challenge me to find some female authors and fantasy novels that I can enjoy.

Deven

Fully understand, I am a fairly slow reader as well, and also read other things (although I am not very rigid about rotating any type of reading), That is why I don't want to commit to more than 12 books for the year. 

Regarding finding two on each list, there are some interesting books on the Fantasy list which are not the Sword and Sorcery types, you might consider:

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers - more of a steampunk, time travel Book.
Something Wicked This Way Comes? by Ray Bradbury - more of a modern fantasy or even horror of novel (a classic)
Replay by Ken by Grimwood - another time travel novel

While probably not for this challenge as it is really 5 (smallish) books I would also highly recommend:
The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny - one of my favorate book series of all time, although it is listed as Sword and Sorcery, I wouldn't classify it that way in any shape or fom.  The first book hooks you at the very beginning and doesn't let go.

Hope you can join us.

Michael

 

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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-09 7:57 AM (#5973 - in reply to #5970)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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DrNefario - 2014-01-08 6:13 AM Twelve's quite a good number for me, because it's doable without being too much of a burden, especially if I get some crossover between challenges. If I'm going to sign up for many more they'll need to be shorter, though. Anyway, I need a ruling. Two of my Masterworks are actually omnibuses: Helliconia and Riddle-Master's Game (which is incorrectly listed as just the first volume, Riddle-Master of Hed, in the database, unless they did a single-volume version too). Does reading one book from the omnibus count, or do I have to read the whole lot? I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen in a single year with Helliconia, at least.

DrNefario

Whew, Helliconia would be quite a challenge, but good luck.

Regarding counting books, in reality this challenge is for you, so if you read the first book in the series and want to count it, that is fine by me, but you will probably need to click off the entire omnibus as included in the SF Masterworks as "Read"  to have it count. 

I have one such multibook series on my list as well, The Book of the New Sun, Volume 1: Shadow and Claw by Gene Wolfe, which is really two books.  I will do my best to get through them

Glad to have you aboard.

Michael

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Administrator
Posted 2014-01-09 8:11 AM (#5974 - in reply to #5970)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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DrNefario - 2014-01-09 5:13 AM  Anyway, I need a ruling. Two of my Masterworks are actually omnibuses: Helliconia and Riddle-Master's Game (which is incorrectly listed as just the first volume, Riddle-Master of Hed, in the database, unless they did a single-volume version too). Does reading one book from the omnibus count, or do I have to read the whole lot? I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen in a single year with Helliconia, at least.

So I looked into the The Riddle-Master of Hed business and you're right.  We should have The Riddle-Master's Game as a separate listing and tag that for the FM series.  Strange that there is a FM cover with just the first title when there never was such a book. The internet has screwed me again.  I'll try to correct that at lunch.

In which case if you want to read The Riddle-Master's Game (or Helliconia) for the Masterworks Challenge you'll need to read the entire omnibus since that is the version on the Masterworks list.

Thanks for the heads up about RMH.

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daxxh
Posted 2014-01-09 12:18 PM (#5977 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Don't know if this will help, but I have a copy of the first three Riddle Master of Hed books in one volume called Riddle of Stars. I got it from the Science Fiction Book club way back when I was in high school.

Edited by daxxh 2014-01-09 12:20 PM
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Deven Science
Posted 2014-01-09 12:26 PM (#5978 - in reply to #5970)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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One of the books I'm thinking of reading for this challenge is also multiple books. It's a tough call, but if I read the first book, I might feel okay about checking it as read, at least for the challenge. The challenge is 12 books, and you will have read one, so along with eleven others, no one could say you were cheating.
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DrNefario
Posted 2014-01-09 2:18 PM (#5983 - in reply to #5974)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Administrator - 2014-01-09 2:11 PM

So I looked into the The Riddle-Master of Hed business and you're right. We should have The Riddle-Master's Game as a separate listing and tag that for the FM series. Strange that there is a FM cover with just the first title when there never was such a book. The internet has screwed me again. I'll try to correct that at lunch.


I was sure the issue with the Masterwork was mentioned in the WoGF forum where I picked up the recommendation, otherwise I'd have reported it somewhere more sensible, but now I can't find it. Ah well.

Edited by DrNefario 2014-01-09 2:20 PM
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francesashton
Posted 2014-01-11 12:49 PM (#6014 - in reply to #5969)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Deven Science,

You were saying you might have trouble with the Mistressworks so can I recommend The Disposessed, Memoirs of a Spacewoman or The Female Man as being more on the SF side than the fantasy side. They're also pretty short which might help you out.
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-11 2:24 PM (#6016 - in reply to #6014)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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francesashton - 2014-01-10 1:49 PM Deven Science, You were saying you might have trouble with the Mistressworks so can I recommend The Disposessed, Memoirs of a Spacewoman or The Female Man as being more on the SF side than the fantasy side. They're also pretty short which might help you out.

 

Another option to consider would be  In Conquest Born  by C.S. Friedman.  It is a Space Opera and Military Fiction novel. 

Michael 

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DrNefario
Posted 2014-01-12 11:09 AM (#6035 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Well, I've thrown caution to the the wind, and signed up for all of the challenges I thought looked interesting, and I'll just have to see how far I get. (I note there doesn't seem to be a way of backing out of a challenge.)

My main concern with all of the challenges is that they don't involve me buying too many books. My real and virtual heaps of unread books are enough to populate most of the challenges, but don't give me a lot of choice for the Mistressworks and Fantasy Masterworks.
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-12 4:50 PM (#6041 - in reply to #6035)
Subject: Re: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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DrNefario - 2014-01-11 12:09 PM Well, I've thrown caution to the the wind, and signed up for all of the challenges I thought looked interesting, and I'll just have to see how far I get. (I note there doesn't seem to be a way of backing out of a challenge.) My main concern with all of the challenges is that they don't involve me buying too many books. My real and virtual heaps of unread books are enough to populate most of the challenges, but don't give me a lot of choice for the Mistressworks and Fantasy Masterworks.

 

DrNefario

WELCOME to the Masterworks Challenge. 

I also signed up for a second challenge (12 awards in 12 months), but I carefully looked to make sure that most of the readings worked for both challenges.  Only a couple of extra books too read.

Don't know about you, I took a trip to the 2nd hand bookshop yesterday, and found three of books for the challenge for only $2 US each. 

Heck for you, One trip to  Hay-on-Wye and you could probably find them ALL.

Good Luck

Michael 



Edited by ILikeMaps 2014-01-12 4:54 PM
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-14 12:04 PM (#6070 - in reply to #5937)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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I have finished my first book in the Challenge.  Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by PK Dick. (even wrote a Review).

This is a classic I have been meaning to read for quite a while, and now that I have read the book, I understand the title much more. It seems that an electronic sheep plays an important role in the book. (go figure).

As I read through each of these books, I will be asking myself: Do I believe it should be on the SF Masterworks List? For this book, the answer would be ABSOLUTELY. Essentially it is book that wrestles with the question "What does it mean to he human", it seems to hold up very well with age, and it contributes significantly to the "robot / android" genre of Science Fiction.  (plus I really like the noir, detective novel style of writing).

    Thoughts from others who have read the book?

OK, on to my next book:  From SF to Fantasy (sort of) as I begin reading The Book of the New Sun, Volume 1: Shadow and Claw.  The first book (really first two books) of Gene Wolfe’s New Sun Series. 

Michael


 


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Deven Science
Posted 2014-01-14 12:38 PM (#6071 - in reply to #6070)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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I read DADoES? quite some years ago, and I mostly just remember it being a bit of a confusing mess. It had some great ideas, and great imagery, but even as I'm now reading Through a Scanner, Darkly for this challenge, I'm finding that my own opinion is that PKD is a bit overrated. I haven't read a lot of him, admittedly, but what I have doesn't make sense. That may mean he is deep, but it also might mean he's indecipherable.
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ILikeMaps
Posted 2014-01-14 9:14 PM (#6083 - in reply to #6071)
Subject: RE: 2014 Masterworks Reading Challenge
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Deven Science - 2014-01-13 1:38 PM I read DADoES? quite some years ago, and I mostly just remember it being a bit of a confusing mess. It had some great ideas, and great imagery, but even as I'm now reading Through a Scanner, Darkly for this challenge, I'm finding that my own opinion is that PKD is a bit overrated. I haven't read a lot of him, admittedly, but what I have doesn't make sense. That may mean he is deep, but it also might mean he's indecipherable.

 I understand completely, everybody loved the Demolished Man, but frankly I was less than impressed, just couldn't get past Bester's writing style. I enjoyed DADoES because it reminded me of the hard boiled detective novel of the 40s and 50s, although I wouldn't describe Deckard as hard boiled. Although I enjoy some of the more "literate" stuff,  I think the novels I enjoy most are rip roaring space ( or fantasy) adventures, and space operas.  Just a shallow reader at heart I guess. 

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