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Pick & Mix 2019 challenge
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daxxh
Posted 2019-11-20 12:08 AM (#21479 - in reply to #21478)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: Great Lakes, USA		Glad to see you back and commenting, Dusty. I, too, am a little disappointed in the lack of comments on this site. I used to get a lot of book recommendations from the comments, but not lately. Perhaps I shouldn't complain though, as I rarely make comments myself.

I will be back for this challenge next year. It is where I put the books that don't fit in any other challenge. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year to all!
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thejessleigh
Posted 2019-12-02 10:57 AM (#21504 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: Chicago, IL		I've seen bits and pieces here of people talking about how dead the forums are. I would love to participate more but often don't know what to say, since most of the topics seem stagnant. It's hard for newer users to get involved, as well as discouraging to older users. I was trying to think of things that might boost activity, especially since there are so many people who are active in the RYO and with adding and reviewing books. What has worked in the past? Why do you think things have died out here?
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daxxh
Posted 2019-12-02 11:53 PM (#21510 - in reply to #21504)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: Great Lakes, USA		It seems like a lot of the people who used to post a lot are no longer on the site. Some are now uber users, so maybe they focus more on projects now instead of discussing what they have read. The site problems a few months ago made things worse.

Various people used to start a thread at the beginning or end of a month to ask how people were doing with challenges. That died out as few would respond. I jumped over to Library Thing to get more book recommendations as there is some discussion there, but I prefer this site since I read a lot more science fiction than anything else.

There are a lot of new people and a lot of Challenge participants. I am surprised that there aren't more discussions and comments. Maybe no one wants to start a thread that gets no responses.

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Engelbrecht
Posted 2019-12-27 2:42 AM (#21569 - in reply to #21510)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Hi Dusty!

As in previous years, I used your challenge to show my favorite reads of the year, although this year, I couldn't limit it to just ten reads, so I went to twenty!

I'm another who's not good about posting feedback, but if you (or anyone!) want some feedback on any of these, just let me know.

Cheers, and hoping you're having a good holiday!

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dustydigger
Posted 2019-12-28 3:53 PM (#21577 - in reply to #21569)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: UK		Oops! Havent been on here for weeks,so I missed THREE replies. Cant moan about nobody posting,when I too am an offender! lol.Family dramas,ill health,and then manic preparations for Xmas in only one week before the big day did not help. And I only read a couple of the genre this month,so barely visited to add the books.. But I was happy to complete my Pick N' Mix 80 reads.,and completed all the Hugos and Nebula winners up to 2017.
In 2020 I will try to read some Hugo nominees,I've only read 150/319 titles,a long way to go! .And some good oldfashioned pulpy classic reads from the 50s and 60s.Sounds good.
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dustydigger
Posted 2019-12-28 4:56 PM (#21578 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: UK		Daxxh made some good points above about why people have gone away. As for the uber users,they are doing magnificent work adding books to the site,but I do miss the interesing reviews and comments from members like Rhondak,Scot Laz and many others.
I think I will start up the ''What are we Reading?'' monthly thread again. Cant believe how long ago it was that I set up that thread,June 2012,a,few weeks after I joined WWEnd Wow,does time fly! Then I had my stroke end of 2013,and Justified Sinner and Badseedgirl kindly carried it on for a good while,up to the end of 2015.Then WWEnd began its slow depopulation.
True,there are unlikely to be many posts,but a surprising number of people read the posts,so that cant be bad. Its very disheartening to come on site and find nothing new on the forums,when people are beavering away on their challenges.
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dustydigger
Posted 2019-12-28 5:03 PM (#21579 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: UK		Hi Jess Leigh,thank you for commenting. Hope you do the Pick & Mix next year,and come and join. in. Anyone is very welcome to talk about any of my posts,even if you disagree with me! lol. Sometimes this year I have got very discouraged with the lack of comments,but I honestly think people got out of the habit of posting during all the problems and uncertainty. but I enjoy giving a snapshot of my reading.
We could all make visiting WWEnd a new years resolution,and rebuild the site bit by bit.
The next few days I am building up my book lists for 2020. I keep changing my reading direction. One minute I want to read lots of old classic SF,then I think I should try to complete some of the lists I have been slogging through for years,or pick a particular genre and read lots on a topic,or trying to push my way through some of the mighty tomes I am avoiding,or fill in gaps of some favourite author's output.
So many books,so little time!

Edited by dustydigger 2019-12-28 5:16 PM
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dustydigger
Posted 2019-12-28 5:34 PM (#21580 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: UK		Engelbert,thanks for your post. good to see you were impressed by so many books this year.
I know nothing about almost every book on your list.Only Anderson's Feed is on my TBR for 2020.
I see that both you and Jess Leigh both enjoyed Ann Leckie's Raven Tower. I am not much of a fantasy fan,and wasnt a huge fan of her Ancilary sequence.SF,so I wont be searching it out o buying it but if I do seeit in the library I may take a punt at it.
Hope 2020 will be another good reading year for you. ..
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Engelbrecht
Posted 2019-12-29 3:54 AM (#21581 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: RE: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Dusty,

You really should try something by Ted Chiang or Greg Egan - both fabulous writers, and just about the most thoughtful writers out there.

Chiang's been writing for twenty years, but only has two collections out (no novels), but practically every story he writes is nominated for/wins some award or other.

Egan is hard, HARD SF, which may or may not be your cup of tea, but he grapples with the science in science fiction like no one else.

Theory of Bastards is another I'd recommend to you - it incorporates a lot of well researched, cutting-edge real-world science on primate behavior, much of it eye-opening.

Hope I'm not doing too much damage to your next years reading plans!  Every December, I put together a spreadsheet list of books to read in the coming year, but every year, it seems like I never get to even half of them!  

 

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dustydigger
Posted 2019-12-29 4:40 AM (#21582 - in reply to #21581)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: UK		Hi engelbert,thanks for the recommendtions.Sadly Chiang isnt in my library,nor Theory of Bastards,but Egan's Orthogonal trilogy,Diaspora,Schild's Ladder,and Permutation City are all still in stock.so I'll keep an eye out! .
You cant do damage to my reading plans,I usually pencil in about 50 SF books for the year as my must read or basic list,and then add on others by serendipity from WWEnd lists to make up my 80 Pick & Mix. So there is always space for something.
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pauljames
Posted 2019-12-29 4:42 AM (#21583 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: scotland		I enjoyed all the books I read this year. Highlight was Imajica such an immersive book I found also Midnight Tides probably the best fantasy world and series I have read so far.

I agree I would like to see more on the forum. I stopped apart from the odd comment simply because I realised I wasn't good at writing, I struggle to get things from my head to paper or computer. However I enjoy reading all the comments posted and get a lot of inspiration for new books or If i am in a bit of a reading slump this site always cheers me up.

I do like giving regular updates on books Im reading and new books i have bought. So a thread like this sounds great for me to post more.
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dustydigger
Posted 2019-12-29 5:34 AM (#21586 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: UK		Paul,I dont seem to be able to bring myself to read Clive Barker. I read Abarat,and found it too frentic,overloaded with events and detail to a ridiculous extreme. I was exhausted before I finished it.lol.I have had his Weaveworld unread on my kindle for over 3 years as a result.Am I sensing a similar sort of vibe with Imajica as with Abarat,or is it betterpaced and constructed. I'll keep it in mind anyway. Thanks
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dustydigger
Posted 2019-12-29 5:35 AM (#21587 - in reply to #19521)
Subject: Re: Pick & Mix 2019 challenge		Quote Reply



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Location: UK		So our 2019 challengeends. Thanks to all the participants,many of whom completed their challenges,and several more got very close.
Our best result ever,783 books read! YAY.And that in the face of difficulties,so very well done.indeed.
Hope to see you all again in 2020. Its such a flexible challenge.As long as you can manage 10 books in a year,you will succeed!
Cant believe 2020 will be year six for the RYO challenges.

Edited by dustydigger 2019-12-29 5:50 AM
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