2013 Worlds Without End Women of Genre Fiction Reading Challenge discussion

Thought it would be smart to create an in-challenge, 'What are you reading?' thread. Feel free to add updates about your goal progress as well.

Though technically I am one book down already (Michelle Rowen), I was reading it before I knew about the challenge so it doesn't much count.

So officially, Bujold will be my first in-challenge read, starting at lunch today, 'The Curse of Chalion.'

Ooh, good choice!

I'm about a third of the way through Among Others by Jo Walton.

Most of the way through Elfland by Freda Warrington, which I'm loving although I wasn't sure about it at first. I think I started it before knowing about the challenge (?)--anyway I've had it out of the library and sitting on my to-read stack for awhile now. But why would a book not count just because you didn't start it with the challenge in mind?

My first book of 2013 was Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, whom I need to pertition the organisers to add to the author list.

My current book is Palimpsest by Catherynne M Valente. I'm 40% in and really enjoying it. Her style reminds me in lots of ways of Tanith Lee and I love Tanith Lee. I really do like these stories that feature a city or a place as a character in its own right. I guess it helps that the location is 'secret' or hard to enter.

I'm about to start Fudoki and I'll be reading Grimspace after that.

Just started my first one: In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

And I started her The Bird in the River this afternoon! It's a good day for reading.

Bird of the River is next on my list too! Perhaps we should start a Kage Baker thread.

I'm 1/3 into Jo Walton's Among Others. Good so far... Waiting for it to kick up another gear though.

I am now reading The Thief's Gamble. Looks pretty generic, but a read a chapter in the used book store and decided to give it a try.

@Nathan: I'll be interested to hear how you like it.... I tried Irons in the Fire last year and was underwhelmed. But then that one appears to be her least popular series, perhaps for good reason.

I'm starting His Majesty's Dragon.

I'm about 200 pages into Alif the Unseen. The concept and writing are good, but I can hear the wheels of the plot grinding a bit too often for my taste--everyone seems motivated by What The Book Needs To Happen Next rather than by any actual internal drive of their own.

I'm nibbling away at The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper, which is my "random pick." (It was chosen for me out of the blue - and before the WWE challenge was announced - in another Goodreads group that isn't at all dedicated to speculative fiction as part of a quarterly recommendation swap game by someone who loves Tepper. Serendipity!) So far, it's slow going - not because it's not good but because there is so much to think about that I can only read in short bursts before I have to stop and mull over what I've read for a while. I imagine I'll be at it all month, in between other, less philosophical reads.

Okay, guys. Seriously. In the Garden of Iden was going swimmingly. Great world building, fascinating premise, solid writing. Then BAM. I'm plopped in the middle of an awful YA romance. What just happened?

I finished Alif the Unseen. Sadly, I have to say I was not impressed.

Kara wrote: "Okay, guys. Seriously. In the Garden of Iden was going swimmingly. Great world building, fascinating premise, solid writing. Then BAM. I'm plopped in the middle of an awful YA romance. What just ha..."

Requires spoilers, so I'll just say plot stuff. I liked that one least. I think Sky Coyote was my favorite.

Kara wrote: "Okay, guys. Seriously. In the Garden of Iden was going swimmingly. Great world building, fascinating premise, solid writing. Then BAM. I'm plopped in the middle of an awful YA romance. What just ha..."

Yeah, that one kind of goes off the rails a bit strangely. I was actually sort of rooting for them by the end, the crazy kids, but it wasn't the book I figured I was going to read.

Bird of the River is turning out rather YA for my tastes as well--not the romance (haven't got to that yet, although I say yet because it's painfully obvious where it's headed), but just rather simplistic.

My boyfriend was reading along with me, and he gave up on it. I'm going to keep going, but romance is NOT my genre, so it's not looking so good for me.

Finished Bird of the River, which turned out to be very young for my taste. Romance is minimal though, so if you just don't like that element you might prefer it.

I think I'm going to stay away from Baker--I'm just altogether too disappointed with In the Garden of Iden to get excited about anything else she has written. And I prefer adult books to YA. Well, on to the next one. Maybe Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh?

If you're looking for your first Cherryh, Foreigner is probably not where I would recommend starting. The multiple lengthy prologues at the beginning are a bit of a slog for an author you don't already know and trust. The Pride of Chanur or The Faded Sun will give you faster pacing, or, if you want something more philosophical, Cyteen is worth a try.

Kara wrote: "I think I'm going to stay away from Baker--I'm just altogether too disappointed with In the Garden of Iden to get excited about anything else she has written. And I prefer adult books to YA. Well, ..."

Hah, going around reading more books from somebody who just disappointed you is not sensible behavior, I agree. That comment was really more for other people who might be reading the thread and thinking of trying a Baker book--Bird of the River definitely feels YA (or younger), but there isn't much romance, good or bad. It wouldn't be a bad choice for those who like their fantasy simple--I just don't.

In terms of Baker, I really liked "The Anvil of the World" and "House of the Stag" (I think I've posted reviews for those two here).

Finally decided on 'The Killing Moon' from N. K. Jemisen. Took me forever to pick from her two series, but 1/4 in I think I made a good choice.

Now on to Bitter Greens, which I'm enjoying very much. Hopefully it will be published in the U.S. soon--I finally got a copy through ILL, and per Worldcat it's the only copy in the entire country, from Stony Brook University. (Apologies to any other Americans who tried to ILL it within the last month....)

Started God's War finally. Let's see if it lives up to the hype. :)

I'm planning to start A Natural History of Dragons tomorrow. After that I'll probably read Spirit Gate and Frankenstein, though I'm not sure in what order yet.

Benjamin, I'd love to hear what you think of A Natural History of Dragons. It looks interesting to me, but the reviews are scaring me off a bit.

Sure thing!

God's war = Lived up to the hype. :)

Frankenstein is a great, short read. I just rewatched the film post-read.

Now trying to decide if I want to plow through all of Banks Culture or read another from my list here. Decisions!

I loved some of the Culture books! My favorite is Use of Weapons (technically #3).

Reading A Natural History of Dragons as well. I'm enjoying it, although it looks like all (or almost all) the adventures promised in the preface are being put off for future books.

Use of Weapons is my favorite so far. Only read 5 though.

I'm wading through the Culture, too - only read 4. It's... strange, I keep reading them for concept alone, while other aspects of Banks' writing just grates on my nerves. Still, yes, it's one of the series I'd like to finish before taking on any of the series-starting challenge authors.

(As for current reading though, I seem to have allowed myself to get trapped by The Malazan books of the fallen. Eek, MORE series...!)

I've read a bunch of Culture novels and liked them, but I can't keep them apart because the titles have nothing to do with the plot :(

Off Topic: No culture novel so far has been even nominated for a Hugo. I Officially declare the Hugos to SuckDick(TM).

Wow! That's terribly surprising.

Was anyone else shocked that Among Others picked up both a Hugo and a Nebula? I thought it was just okay.

Non-spectacular books winning prizes (or getting hyped) has lost all power to surprise me, sadly.

I can see why Among Others won though--it's a nostalgic book, and seems to really speak to the kind of fan culture that (I imagine, having never attended a convention) Hugo voters are likely part of. It's a book about somebody who survives high school because of SFF and a book club, and there's a lot of references to old-school favorites and what it was like to be a genre fan in the 70s.

That somewhat cynical analysis aside, I do think it's a pretty decent book. The writing is better than in most fantasy, and Mori's characterization is quite well done--I did find her easy to relate to despite not being part of fan culture (aside from occasional online discussions). I had some plot-related issues with it, but it doesn't seem like a terrible choice for an award.

After seeing some of the Card books that have got nominations nothing would surprise me. Ender's Game aside, really, the Alvin maker books? It's like if Ann Rice's Jesus books won a Pulitzer.

Personally, I don't get the love for the Culture books, though to be honest I've only read Consider Phlebas. I do plan to read Use of Weapons, but I'm not in a hurry to get to it.

The Hugos are like the Oscars; they tend to be a popularity contest. So books by particular authors get nominated almost every time. The current darling seems to be Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant. They also tend to give the award for a body of work or if the book happened to be written at just the right time.

Now reading The Curse of Chalion by Bujold.
Quite like it so far. Reminds me a bit of A Song of Ice and Fire, although so far the characters seem to have a slightly better life expectancy ;)

I'm about to start Tinker by Wen Spencer at the recommendation of a Goodreads friend. Hope it's good!

I have Cordelia's Honor by Bujold coming up on the pile real soon.

Erg. I have apparently gotten addicted to my Kindle and the option to uy there and have my new book instantly. I tried for Fudoki and one of Kage Baker's and struck out on both.

I've picked up Range of ghosts by Elizabeth Bear and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan. I think Ill start with the Lanagan as it's one I've been meaning to read for years.

I also have two possible qualifiers but I must check the data base to see if they quantify officially

Deidre, if they're not already in the database, you can request adds here: https://www.worldswithoutend.com/mbbs...