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francesashton
Posted 2013-09-06 1:40 PM (#5558)
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Location: Cheshire, England		Yay, I've finished ahead of my schedule. Mind you there were three books that I didn't actually finish but only because they couldn't pique my interest. I'd say I got half my choices right which I think is a pretty good percentage when the choices were random.

The author's I really enjoyed and will be looking out for more work are: Lilith Saintcrow, Catherynne Valente, Cherie Priest and I've already worked my way through Charlaine Harris's catalogue. I'd certainly read more Sarah Pinborough, now that I know what I'm going to get. I was really disappointed with Storm Constantine (so much so that she got binned and replaced by someone else in the first three months!) and N K Jemisin. Doris Lessing was very interesting but just waaaaay too long but it won't stop me picking up more of her books. I'll probably just not seek them out.
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Thomcat
Posted 2013-09-06 2:30 PM (#5560 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: Seattle, WA		Congrats! Having a tough time with Cipher by Kathe Koja at the moment, but hadn't considered abandoning it.
I've just two more after that, so I'll be done in November.
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francesashton
Posted 2013-09-09 1:19 PM (#5576 - in reply to #5560)
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Location: Cheshire, England		Ah there's too many other books that I know I'll enjoy or hope I'll enjoy to keep struggling with a book I'm not really getting anywhere with. The chances are I'll go back to them in the future. Eventually I'll have forgotten I'd tried them anyway and then they'll be new ones just waiting for me to to be in the right frame of mind to finish them off.
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HRO
Posted 2013-09-25 3:17 PM (#5604 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: Neither here...nor there		I've finished (and I didn't even start until June!). These are the books I read, listed in order of my enjoyment of them:

Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper (5 Stars) Based on this, I am planning to read all of Tepper's books (and there's a lot of them!)

Solitaire by Kelley Eskridge (5 Stars) This totally blew my mind and is tied with Beauty for first place. I wish this wasn't the only book that Eskridge had written.

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin (5 Stars) Ok, I read the Earthsea series multiple times in my early teens. But that was a long time ago so LeGuin is almost a new author for me. This book was so fabulous I can't believe it's been so long since I've read any of LeGuin's work.

The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan (5 Stars) This was about a million times better than I expected it to be and I definitely want to read more by Kiernan.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (5 Stars) I was left completely in awe of Clarke's talent.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (4 Stars) Wildly original, both in plot and style. Very impressive.

The Rapture by Liz Jensen (3.5 Stars) I've read 4 of Jensen's books this year and she has definitely earned a place on my Favorite Authors list.

The Birth of Love by Joanna Kavenna (3.5 Stars) Thought provoking and creative. It's rather sad how few people have read this book; it deserves more recognition.

The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox (3 Stars)
Damiano by R.A. MacAvoy (3 Stars)
The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord (3 Stars)
The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee (1.5 Stars)
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francesashton
Posted 2013-09-26 1:27 AM (#5605 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: Cheshire, England		Well done HRO! The only common author in there was N. K. Jemisin and I gave it up in favour of someone else. Seeing as how everyone seems to like this lady's work I will probably go back to it some other time.
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Administrator
Posted 2013-09-26 7:25 AM (#5606 - in reply to #5604)
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Location: Dallas, Texas		Congrats, HRO!  Five fives out of 12 and only one book under a 3?  Not bad at all.  So who was your random author pic and how did you pick her?  I'm hoping she was one of your 5's!
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HRO
Posted 2013-09-27 3:51 AM (#5608 - in reply to #5606)
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Location: Neither here...nor there		Thanks Admin. I was very pleased at how much I enjoyed the books I selected for the challenge.

My random author was Kelley Eskridge (and, yes, she was one of my 5 Star reads!). I was thinking about reading Nicola Griffith because she's an author I've meant to read for quite awhile, and when I was researching her/her books I discovered that her partner, Eskridge, had also written a book. I was surprised to learn that her novel (Solitaire) was nominated for the 2002 Nebula alongside some big names like Neil Gaiman, Ursula K. LeGuin, and China Mieville. How, I wondered, could that be possible when I'd never heard of her or the book (and it doesn't seem most other people have either)? So, I bought a copy of Solitaire and *bam* .....awesomeness.
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Administrator
Posted 2013-10-01 6:48 PM (#5622 - in reply to #5608)
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HRO - 2013-09-27 3:51 AM  My random author was Kelley Eskridge (and, yes, she was one of my 5 Star reads!).

Very nice!  As Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith would say:  "I love it when a plan comes together."

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Kata
Posted 2013-10-02 4:03 PM (#5629 - in reply to #5558)
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How can I tell when the troll throw the confetti? I finished twelve books, but didn't get the random book thing. I had some books pick me when I went to the library. Does that count?
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Administrator
Posted 2013-10-02 7:09 PM (#5630 - in reply to #5629)
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Kata - 2013-10-02 4:03 PM How can I tell when the troll throw the confetti? I finished twelve books, but didn't get the random book thing. I had some books pick me when I went to the library. Does that count?

Consider the confetti thrown!  Congrats on finishing the challenge.

The requirement was to pick one random author to try, just to see what would happen.  We wanted to get some new names into the conversation and we thought it would be a cool experience for people to perhaps find somebody awesome that they might not have considered using their normal book selection methods.  Of course, if your random pick turned out aweful that can be entertaining too   How you make or made your random pick is entirely up to you so a book jumping off the shelf at you certainly qualifies.

So, any surprises in your dozen reads?  A new favorite by chance?

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Kata
Posted 2013-10-03 4:02 PM (#5634 - in reply to #5630)
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Mistification was my random pick. I was looking for another book in the library, when I found it lying nearby in an open spot on the shelf. It was one of the first horror stories that I ever remember reading, and I was surprised that I liked it. Because of the Challenge, I read a lot more fantasy than I normally do. Some of it was dark, and I was surprised that I enjoyed it, a nice change of pace. I just finished reading Stray Souls. If the next book in the series is as enjoyable, I think Ill read the earlier series that has the same setting.
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francesashton
Posted 2013-10-04 1:31 PM (#5635 - in reply to #5634)
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Location: Cheshire, England		Kata, I don't think you can go wrong with Kate Griffin. When I read the first Midnight Mayor book I just had to breeze through the rest of the series.
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justifiedsinner
Posted 2013-10-23 3:36 PM (#5693 - in reply to #5558)
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It's done. Finita la sfida to paraphrase Pagliacci. Just posted the final review.
I didn't have a random book since that became an issue after I had chosen my 12. They were all winners of one the the SF lists: 4 Nebula, 3 Campbell, 3 PKD, 2 BSFA and 1 Clarke. Roses -The Sparrow and Ash: The Secret History, Lemons - The Highest Frontier and In War Times.
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Administrator
Posted 2013-10-28 6:18 PM (#5719 - in reply to #5693)
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justifiedsinner - 2013-10-23 3:36 PM It's done. Finita la sfida to paraphrase Pagliacci.

Congrats, justified!  Sounds like you read some great books for your challenge.  What was your favorite?  Any surprises?   I'm also curious to know if you would have read those authors without the challenge?  Thanks for participating!

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justifiedsinner
Posted 2013-10-29 10:35 AM (#5721 - in reply to #5558)
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I would have probably got around to them eventually since I'm reading my way through the lists and these are all winners. Some however I wouldn't have gotten to for a long time "Ash" (my favorite) in particular because of it's length. I think that's why the book is not more widely known, that and the fact it's misperceived as a fantasy novel.
I was also surprised that I liked The Sparrow since as an ex Catholic I'm not too drawn to religious books. The priests it portrayed where not like any I'd experienced, actual human beings instead of cranks and monsters.

Edited by justifiedsinner 2013-10-29 10:36 AM
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Emil
Posted 2013-11-03 1:42 AM (#5725 - in reply to #5721)
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Location: Grootfontein, Namibia		I've also finished. And must admit that I probably would not have read a few of the books I did if not for the challenge. Considering the busy schedule I have in setting up farm life and the associated industry, I generally opted for "shorter" books - or at least, that's how it started out. I ended up reading quite a few hefty works! I started of with The Hunger Games (have since also finished the second novel), Bitter Angels and Dreadnought, all relatively "easy' and fun reads. From there I read Blackout/All Clear, The Blind Assassin and Flesh and Spirit, all thick books, and even read Breath and Bone, the sequel to Flesh and Spirit

. I probably would never have read The Hunger Games, nor The Drowning Girl (which turned out to be favorite along with Flesh and Spirit and its sequel. I was very disappointed in The Highest Frontier and extremely surprised by God's War and The Riddle-master of Hed, which I found truly wonderful works, God's War in particular full of grit and apocalyptic visions. I'm certainly going to read the next two installments as well.

All in all a great reading challenge. I just cannot find the time to write any erudite reviews
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justifiedsinner
Posted 2013-11-03 9:29 AM (#5726 - in reply to #5558)
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I wasn't too impressed with The Highest Frontier either. Even though The Blind Assassin was hefty I found it a surprisingly fast read. I must put God's War on my list (or one of my lists, I have too many of those as well).
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DrNefario
Posted 2013-11-10 1:58 PM (#5739 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: UK		I've just finished my 12th book, Tea with the Black Dragon by RA MacAvoy, I just need to knock together a quick review and I'll be done. I've enjoyed this challenge a lot, and would be perfectly happy to repeat it next year. I think my highlight was China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F McHugh, and I'm not even that sure why. It just caught me in the right mood.
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Thomcat
Posted 2013-11-11 9:47 PM (#5753 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: Seattle, WA		According to this site, I have read 90 listed authors from 2000 to 2013. Of those, only 12 were women, so this challenge doubled that total. Here are my ratings for the 12:

***** Syne Mitchell - The Changeling Plague
****½ Catherynne M. Valente - Deathless
**** Vonda N. McIntyre - Dreamsnake
***½ Mary Doria Russell - The Sparrow
***½ Karen Joy Fowler - Sarah Canary
***½ Sheri S. Tepper - The Gate to Women's Country
***½ Libba Bray - Going Bovine
***½ Lois McMaster Bujold - Shards of Honour
** C.J. Cherryh - Rusalka
*½ Elizabeth Moon - The Speed of Dark
* Kathe Koja - Cipher
½ Holly Black - Tithe

My "random" book was Shards of Honour. I hadn't chosen one yet, and bought a "Humble Bundle" of ebooks earlier in the year nearly sight unseen. I discovered among those books Shards, which qualified for the challenge. At 3½ stars, I was impressed enough to add the sequel to my reading list.
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jontlaw
Posted 2013-11-18 9:30 AM (#5763 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: Alief, TX		Boom! Joined the site Aug 6, finished my first book in the Challenge Aug 25, finished my 12th book on Nov 17. Who rocks? ;-)

1. The Handmaiden's Tale by Margaret Atwood
2. The Djinn in the Nightengale's Eye by A.S. Byatt
3. The Giver by Lois Lowery
4. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin (followed by it's sequels The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore)
5. The Faded Sun: Kesrith by C.J. Cherryh
6. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
7. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
8. The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia
9. Children of Men by P.D. James
10. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
11. The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
12. Soulless by Gail Carriger

P.S. Are there really that few of us? Looking over the list of participants, there seem to be only 12 or 15 out of roughly 350 who have finished.

Edited by jontlaw 2013-11-18 9:32 AM
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francesashton
Posted 2013-11-18 1:05 PM (#5764 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: Cheshire, England		Well done both Thomcat and jontlaw :-) Interesting seeing how Thomcat has *d the books as, where they match with mine in authors, we pretty much agree. I'm currently working my way through Cathrynne Valente's back catalogue and enjoying myself. Didn't really get into Holly Black's work either though I've tried a couple now. And jontlaw, wow - talk about quick! Turns out our lists weren't too dissimilar either.

I think one of the things this challenge has helped overall is, not necessarily in the reviews - though you have to admit that some of them are awesome - but in the star ratings. There's another thread where we've been discussing the lack of star rating related to the number of reads and anything that helps get the * count up is a good thing in my book as you can instantly see where like-minded people have decided that a book is worth reading.
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DrNefario
Posted 2013-11-20 7:43 AM (#5768 - in reply to #5763)
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jontlaw - 2013-11-18 3:30 PM

P.S. Are there really that few of us? Looking over the list of participants, there seem to be only 12 or 15 out of roughly 350 who have finished.
Well, I was intending to pace myself to one a month, and so finish in December, but I gained an extra book free when the Nancy Kress Hugo (novella) nominee was added, so finished early.

I expect plenty of people have drifted off, though. I don't know what the success rate was like for the Grand Master challenge last year. About 1 in 5 / 1 in 6, by the look of it.
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Badseedgirl
Posted 2013-12-03 10:41 AM (#5798 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: Middle TN, USA		I'm DONE, and with time to spare!

1. Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones
2. We Have Always Lived In the Castle - Shirley Jackson
3. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
4. The Alchemy Of Stone - Ekatrina Sedia
5. The City, Not Long After - Pat Murphy ***My Random pick***
6. The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan I went on and read the other 2 books in the series Dead Tossed Waves, and The Dark and Hollow Place
7. A Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula Le Guin
8. Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern *******The best novel I read in the entire list*******
9. Life as We Knew It - Susan Beth Pfeffer I went on to read The Dead and The Gone, and This World We Live in
10. Married With Zombies - Jesse Petersen I went on to read Flip This Zombie, and Eat Slay Love
11. The Giver - Lois Lowery I went on to read Gathering Blue, and Messenger
12. Bellwether - Connie Willis

I also read Divergent by Veronica Roth, but ran out of slots.

Except for Diana Wynne Jones, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Lois Lowery, all the authors I read were ones i had not heard of. This was not my original list but I had to adjust it as I went along because I met my goal and every book I read was one I got from our local library, our local digital library, or through Interlibrary loan. I bought no books for this challenge. I also have 12 books on my reading list that I got from the WOGF list. Thank you so much for introducing me to such wonderful women writers!
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valashain
Posted 2013-12-08 7:42 AM (#5804 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: The Netherlands		Just added my review of Debris by Jo Anderton. That makes a full dozen. Not bad given that I didn't start till May. So what's up for next year?
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gallyangel
Posted 2013-12-10 2:06 AM (#5811 - in reply to #5558)
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Location: The Wilds of Washington		Finished. I feel like I've been stumbling and bumbling in a half fall towards the finish line for some time now. Is it just me or did the challenge feel tougher this year? I was always running up against my library not having my first or second selections. Or they had book three or five but not the first of series. Or buying a copy would be to much. Stuff like that. My selections were all over the map. Women on the Edge of Time was a tough read as well. Tough subject matter.
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