Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

It's time to start thinking about setting up our Group Reading Challenges for 2017. (I know everyone's busy with the end of year holidays, but not coincidentally the new year starts right after. :)

(For those who haven't participated before, our Group Challenges let you set a reading goal for yourself to read a certain number of books that fit the criteria of that Challenge. It's a SF&F-oriented complement to the Goodreads Annual Reading Challenge. Because each Challenge lets you set your own goal for the number of books you want to read, it's a form of self motivation, not a competition.)

Last year we had six year-long Challenges:

The SF&F 2016 Reading Challenge
Set yourself a goal for reading Science Fiction and Fantasy books in 2016.

The SF&F 2016 Discussion Challenge
Set yourself a goal for reading Science Fiction and Fantasy selected by our group for discussion in 2016. Join the conversations!

The SF&F 2016 Explorer Challenge
Set yourself a goal to read SF&F books by authors you've never read before. Explore new worlds, find new favorites!

The SF&F 2016 Awards Challenge
Set yourself a goal to read SF&F books which have won awards, such as the Hugo and Nebula, or any other award.

The SF&F 2016 Graphic Novel Challenge
Set yourself a goal to read SF&F Graphic Novels.

The SF&F 2016 Short Works Challenge

* You can see all our past & present SF&HF Group Challenges here.

In 2016, the general SF&F Reading Challenge was the most popular, with 62 members signing up (46 actually marked books as belonging to the challenge, and 19 actually completing their challenge goal so far – there's still a week left to finish up!) The Explorer Challenge was 2nd most popular with 19 participants, the Awards Challenge had 12 participants, the Discussion Challenge had 11, the Awards Challenge had 12 participants, and the Graphic Novel challenge had 7. The Short Stories Challenge was the least popular with only 4 participants.


So, what do people think about new Group Challenges for our sci-fi and fantasy genre in 2017?

In the past we tried some shorter challenge lasting 3 months & 6 months, though they were less popular than the full-year challenges. There's no reason other than tradition that a challenge has to last a calendar year, or begin at the start of a year. (Shorter Challenges might be more focused, and also let new members join in more easily, though there is nothing to stop anyone from joining in mid-Challenge, since you set your own goal. An annual challenge matches the Goodreads Reading Challenge.)

So, any new ideas for 2017? Without any new suggestions, I'll probably just create the same challenges as last year, because I have no imagination. Do people want something else? Some groups seem to do challenges such as books with a title starting with each letter of the alphabet (the goal presumably being 26 books, assuming it's in English language group.) Or Challenges to read books by authors in different states or countries.

Please share your thoughts below!

love the explorer challenge!

would love to have female authors and anthologies as challenges.

I'd like to suggest books set in various countries. How about one for each continent? We may have to include technothrillers.

Clare wrote: "I'd like to suggest books set in various countries. How about one for each continent? We may have to include technothrillers."

So, that would be a Geographic European SF/F Reading Challenge in which participants would record books set in European countries, and likewise an Asian, African, North American, South American, Australian and Antarctican ... based on setting, not author (I think Antarctica is light on SF&F authors :)

I don't think it's possible to record a comment in each challenge-eligible novel, so the participant would have to keep track of which country the novel represents in the review or reading progress comment.

Does separating into continents really add something to the challenges? Would you set up an African challenge but not an Asian, for example? Otherwise, it would be simpler to just have a single geographical setting challenge. (The truly imaginative could tally planets, too.:)

Would you want this set up for the 2nd half of the year?

Silvana wrote: "would love to have female authors and anthologies as challenges."

Darn, I seem to have missed this comment back in December.

For what it's worth, I usually tally anthologies in the Short Stories challenge.

I can set them up as challenges for the 2nd half of the year.

G33z3r wrote: "Clare wrote: "I'd like to suggest books set in various countries. How about one for each continent? We may have to include technothrillers."

So, that would be a Geographic European SF/F Reading Ch..."

I think it could be interesting to do perhaps an author from each different geographical area/continent - I'm an Aussie and it can be quite difficult to find sci-fi/fantasy stories set in Australia, although we have plenty of them as authors (we've got an obsession with setting things in Europe). I have previously attempted a mini challenge of authors from different geographical areas and it is still very interesting! I would be up for some kind of challenge like this :)

Down Under

Have Wormhole, Will Travel

The Nargun and the Stars


A few for Kat. Who has probably read them already.

I meant seven books each for a separate continent. As Kat says, this could be represented by an author from each one (or living in Antarctica at the time perhaps) but I had in mind the setting.
I already separate out settings by continent in my shelves. Antarctica is no problem, especially if you go to technothriller.
Trident Code

Frozen Solid

Icy Passage


Africa, would Congo count? Or:
Empire of Ivory

Cat wrote: "I'm an Aussie and it can be quite difficult to find sci-fi/fantasy stories set in Australia, ..."

On the Beach ?

Recently read Peacemaker, which is both scifi future & urban fantasy set in a future Australian nature preserve, and The Darwin Elevator, which is a scifi trilogy I don't particularly recommend.

I did notice that The Rook had an Australian author but was set in London.

Clare wrote: "Africa, would Congo count? Or: ..."

Pretty much anything by Nnedi Okorafor (Binti (partially),Home, Who Fears Death.)

Lauren Beukes's Zoo City (urban fantasy)

Cat wrote: "I'm an Aussie and it can be quite difficult to find sci-fi/fantasy stories set in Australia"

At least a couple of the Temeraire books take place in Australia too

Andrea wrote: "At least a couple of the Temeraire books take place in Australia too"

G33z3r wrote: On the Beach ? Recently read Peacemaker, which is both s..."

Clare wrote: "The Nargun and the Stars
A few for Kat. Who has probably read them already."

Thanks for the recommends guys :)

Actually, I've only read The Nargun (because I actually grew up near there and mum used to tell us the story when we went hiking) and the Temeraire series has one book based predominantly in Australia and I gave it a whole extra star in it's rating because of it, haha (I actually felt it was one of the weaker novels in the series)

G33z3r wrote: I did notice that The Rook had an Australian author but was set in London.

Dozens of our better known authors have their books set in European settings, the UK in particular - the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix is England, Traci Harding is ancient England, and the amazing Obernewtyn series is post-apocalyptic-feels-very-european Isobelle Carmody.

Cat wrote: "I'm an Aussie and it can be quite difficult to find sci-fi/fantasy stories set in Australia"

The best "set in Australia" fantasy that I've actually read is The Last Continent. There's so many great children's fantasy books explicitly set in Australia that take advantage of our flora and fauna but once you're over the age of about 13 it dries up very quickly.

Beyond that I've dug up a fair few suggestions from links like http://www.tor.com/2015/12/11/five-bo... and https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comm....

I'm pretty sure it's illegal not to mention Tomorrow, When the War Began in any context re: Australian books, even if it's only tenuously SF&F (more alternative future, as there's no real SF elements). Mainly because I grew up when they were being published and their presence is permanently etched into my brain, even without reading any of them.

FWIW I like the continents idea, if only because I've ticked off five of eight (counting North and South America as separate) so far this year.

Europe - Night Watch and sequels / Harry Potter and the Cursed Child / The Queen of Dreams / The City & the City
Asia - The Last King of Angkor Wat
Africa - The Book of Phoenix / Everfair / Blue Remembered Earth and sequels
North America - I Am Legend / Fray
South America - ???
Australia - ???
Antarctica - ???

G33z3r wrote: "Recently read Peacemaker, which is both scifi future & urban fantasy set in a future Australian nature preserve"

Thanks for the pointer. As an Aussie, that sounds intriguing.

Donald wrote: I'm pretty sure it's illegal not to mention Tomorrow, When the War Began in any context re: Australian books,

Haha, yes, I felt it was a little too tenuous, that's why I didn't! I had to read them for Year 9 English so I remember them well!

I created a list on Listopia for SF set in South America, over a year ago.
If you have not looked at the Listopia page here, go to Browse tab above, follow down to Lists. Then you can do a search for key words. If you know any SF&F set on the continent, please add!
I'm going now to create a list for SF set in Australia, if there isn't one. Please add!
Mary Elwyn Pachett wrote some SF for YAs set in Australia.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

This is the format if you are inclined to add a country / continent list to the SF&F Atlas. I have included NZ with Oz in this one as I don't think NZ would make much of a list on its own. I could be wrong.

So....that suggestion will be applied when? 2018? I have too many reading challenges already this year ;p

Here is my list for Antarctica. Please add!

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
South America

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Africa

The Storm Weaver and the Sand and its sequels are set in an alternate Australia, as are D. P. Prior 's books about Deacon Shader. Highly recommend both.

Donald wrote: "I'm pretty sure it's illegal not to mention Tomorrow, When the War Began in any context re: Australian books, even if it's only tenuously SF&F (more alternative future, as there's no real SF elements). ..."

I really enjoyed the first few books of that series. I didn't finish, but I think I read the first 3 or 4. Trying to get my 15 year old to read them now.

Clare wrote: "https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

This is the format if you are inclined to add a country / continent list to the SF&F Atlas. I have included NZ w..."

Call the continent Oceania or Australasia to cover NZ and other nearby islands.

There's the Caspark trilogy by Edgar Rice Burroughs...not sure if that one is meant to be South America or Antarctica though. If someone knows they can add it to the right list.

I did add At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft to the Antarctica list

I have a handful that could be added to an Asian list

Must admit, went through all the books I've read and the vast majority are in the US, UK, or their own world. Though it doesn't go with the current continent-wide theme, might be interesting one day to separate out Canada from North America and all countries outside the UK from Europe.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Asia
No sooner said than done.
I have of course put Neuromancer at the top of this list. Depending on what others add, it may not stay at the top.
Please add!

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Europe without British Isles.
I've put Carmilla first, as the oldest written vampire tale. Then Timeline. See what you can add!

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

British Isles alternatively called Britain and Ireland. This includes the Channel Islands.
I'm expecting a lot of Scottish time travel. Also Doctor Who. And Harry Potter.

Just so you know, there are separate lists for Dublin and for London.

You got Carmilla but missed Frankenstein.

Added 3 to the Europe list and 5 to the Asian one (hope it's ok to include short stories, it wasn't China/Japan so thought it would be a good addition). I debated adding Neverending Story to Europe (Germany) but the real fantasy part is it's own world so in the end left it out.

Don't have time now to add to the Britain list but it already covers many of what I would have added anyway :)

All welcome!

OK, what I am thinking is...

A "Geographic Challenge for Story Setting", with each challenge participant able to define the geographic unit: Continents, Regions, Nations, States & Provinces, Planets, whatever. You can post a comment on your own challenge specifying which. (Protip: if you specify Continents, don't set your goal to more than 7! :) You'll have to decide the setting of each novel for yourself (there's no mechanism in the Challenge to comment on each work, but you can leave yourself a status message on the book or just append it to your review. You can also decide for yourself on questions such as Australia or Oceania, separate Europe & Asia vs Eurasia, whether you think the UK counts as one or two or four, and whether to observe the One China policy. :)

I also understand there's an interest in a Geographical Challenge by Author, and I'm thinking of something similar to the above as far as defining the geographic units for yourself. Your on your own if the author moves a lot.

I'm open for suggestions for shorter, snappier titles for these, other than "Geographic Challenge for Story Setting" and "Geographic Challenge for Author's Home". (I'd just call it the Geographical Challenge except there are two: setting & author.)

I also understand there's an interest in a Female Author Challenge.

If that meets people's requirements, I'll run up some experimental versions next week covering the remaining 6 months of the year.

Thanks, sounds like fun!

Sounds good :)

Thanks, G33z!

Sounds great!

OK, the three new challenges for the second half of 2017 are now available, along with previous annual challenges. You can read all about them here.

I've put two of the new ones on the home page for the moment (two is the maximum Goodreads will put on the home page.)