The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

25.2 - Simone's Task: Children of the Apocalypse!

I have always been a fan of dystopian/post-apocalyptic literature. This pandemic and lockdown make me feel like one of the MCs in a dystopian novel.

Let us use this task to improve our survival skills! This is a two-book task. Choose two of the following options and read one book for each of the options chosen! One book with Graphic Novel MPG may be used for this task if it has at least 125 pages.

REQUIRED: State which options you chose.

1. I just reread The Stand by Stephen King this month. He is a fantastic writer! Read one of the books by Stephen King from this list:
Stephen King Novels or his latest book If It Bleeds

2. I'm not only into dystopian novels, but I'm also a child of the 80s. So, it will probably not surprise anyone that I love the book "Ready Player One" with all its 80s references. Read a book featuring virtual reality or a video game or a book that inspired a video game! Here are two lists that might help:
Books About Video Games and Virtual Reality
Video Games Inspired By Books

REQUIRED: Explain how your book fits the task.

3. One of my favorite TV shows is AMC's The Walking Dead. Read a book that prominently features zombies or undead creatures (must be obvious from the description on GR or shown on the cover)!

4. Another favorite book and movie series of mine is The Maze Runner series. Read a book from these two lists. If the book is part of a series, any book with a whole number in the series is acceptable! REQUIRED: State which list the book is on and, if you use a different book in the series, state which book is on the list.
10 Survival Books
13 Books Like the Maze Runner
Examples:

Acceptable:
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0) by Suzanne Collins instead of The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) by Suzanne Collins
Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth instead of Divergent (Divergent, #1) by Veronica Roth
Morning Star (Red Rising Saga, #3) by Pierce Brown instead of Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1) by Pierce Brown

Not acceptable:
Ender in Exile (Ender’s Saga, #1.2) by Orson Scott Card instead of Ender’s Game (Ender’s Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card
The World of Divergent: The Path to Allegiant (Divergent, #2.5) by Veronica Roth instead of Divergent (Divergent, #1) by Veronica Roth.

5. Last month, I read the book The 100 by Kass Morgan since I love the TV show based on the book. The book/show is about survival both on a space station and on Earth after a nuclear disaster and radioactive fire storm! Read a book that features survival in a dystopian setting (radiation, flood, pandemic, etc.). REQUIRED: If it is not apparent from the synopsis what the dystopian setting is, provide that information in your post!

Welcome to my task! These are the books that are approved:

Option 2:
- whole number books in a series count (ex. for whole numbers see Option 4 "Acceptable"/"Not acceptable")

Option 3:
- Books with vampires

Option 5:
- After Sundown
- Unwind

These are the books that are NOT approved:

This thread is now opened!

For option 2 (read a book that inspired a video game) will it be ok to read the second book in The Witcher series since I’ve already read the first book?

Do vampires count for Option 3? Or should it be specifically zombies? Thanks!

Angie (Literary Labors) wrote: "For option 2 (read a book that inspired a video game) will it be ok to read the second book in The Witcher series since I’ve already read the first book?"

Yes, that is fine with me.

Amy W wrote: "Do vampires count for Option 3? Or should it be specifically zombies? Thanks!"

Vampires count as undead creatures. So, yes, you can read a vampire book

Simone wrote: "Angie (Literary Labors) wrote: "For option 2 (read a book that inspired a video game) will it be ok to read the second book in The Witcher series since I’ve already read the first book?"

Yes, that..."

Thank you!

Would Blood Bonds work for Option 3?
One of the sisters is a vampire

Foxy Grandma wrote: "Would Blood Bonds work for Option 3?
One of the sisters is a vampire"

That works!

For option 5, would After Sundown work? The synopsis makes it sound like they the book takes place both before and during a dystopian event (power grid down due to solar storm)...I didn't know if the entire book needs to take place in a world where the catastrophe has already occurred.

SRC Moderator wrote: "25.2 - Simone's Task: Children of the Apocalypse!

5. Last month, I read the book The 100 by Kass Morgan since I love the TV show based on the book. The book/show is about survival both on a space station and on Earth after a nuclear disaster and radioactive fire storm! Read a book that features survival in a dystopian setting (radiation, flood, pandemic, etc.). REQUIRED: If it is not apparent from the synopsis what the dystopian setting is, provide that information in your post!..."

Do you mean POST-APOCALYPTIC rather than Dystopian? Distopian refers to a government system such as in The Handmaid's Tale, where you description seems to indicate a post-apocalyptic setting (i.e. after some sort of disaster: manmade or natural)

Elaine wrote: "For option 5, would After Sundown work? The synopsis makes it sound like they the book takes place both before and during a dystopian event (power grid down due to solar storm)...I ..."

I don't know the book, but I did a bit of research. It looks like it fits. So, I'll approve.

Book Concierge wrote: "SRC Moderator wrote: "25.2 - Simone's Task: Children of the Apocalypse!

5. Last month, I read the book The 100 by Kass Morgan since I love the TV show based on the book. The book/show is about sur..."

Usually an apocalyptic event results in a dystopian setting. If the dystopian setting is not the result of an apocalyptic event, then I would not approve. The 100 is a dystopian setting in a post-apocalyptic scenario. Does that answer your question or do you need further clarification.

Simone wrote: "Elaine wrote: "For option 5, would After Sundown work? The synopsis makes it sound like they the book takes place both before and during a dystopian event (power grid down due to so..."

Thanks for going through the time and effort that took! I really appreciate it!!

MaddAddam fits right? the second book is about the flood that caused the events

Dee wrote: "MaddAddam fits right? the second book is about the flood that caused the events"

Yes, this one fits.

thanks! trying to catch up on all those partially finished series i have ;)

Would Wool Omnibus work? It doesn't say exactly what happened...but it looks like some kind of disaster has happened to make people live inside or something? Lol...the synopsis is kind of vague.

Stephanie wrote: "Would Wool Omnibus work? It doesn't say exactly what happened...but it looks like some kind of disaster has happened to make people live inside or something? Lol...the synopsis is k..."

That one works for Option 5. On a spoiler page, the author answers the question what happens ;-) I won't spoil it for you, but the book does fit this option.

Simone wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Would Wool Omnibus work? It doesn't say exactly what happened...but it looks like some kind of disaster has happened to make people live inside or something? Lol....."

Hahaha, thank you.

Would this work for option 5? It is a war that caused the dystopian setting so I am not sure...

Unwind

Nicole wrote: "Would this work for option 5? It is a war that caused the dystopian setting so I am not sure...

Unwind"

I'd say no since it's man-made.

Simone wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Would this work for option 5? It is a war that caused the dystopian setting so I am not sure...

Unwind"

I'd say no since it's man-made." That is what I was unsure about- if it was required that it was something natural. I must have misread the wording. Thanks!

Nicole wrote: "Simone wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Would this work for option 5? It is a war that caused the dystopian setting so I am not sure...

Unwind"

I'd say no since it's man-made." That is what I..."
I guess it's a bit unclear- it just says survival in a dystopian setting.

Let me see if I can find more info. I have friends who have read the book. I'll let you know.

Nicole wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Simone wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Would this work for option 5? It is a war that caused the dystopian setting so I am not sure...

Unwind"

I'd say no since it's man-made."..."

Nicole, I'll approve it! Go ahead and use it for this task.

Simone wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Simone wrote: "Nicole wrote: "Would this work for option 5? It is a war that caused the dystopian setting so I am not sure...

Unwind"

I'd say no since ..." OMG thank you so much! I appreciate it. Sorry- I don't want to mess up your task. I think I have just read SO MUCH dystopia it's tough for me to find new ones I want to read!

Would Shadow Falling work for option #5? The setting is a world on the aftermath of a pandemic.

Thanks!

Yes, Lauren, that fits!

Simone wrote: "Yes, Lauren, that fits!"

Thanks!

Would any of the volumes of Sweet Tooth: Deluxe Edition, Book One work? From the series Wikipedia:
"...it takes place in a mostly rural post-apocalyptic setting where some creatures are human/animal hybrids."
"...a mysterious plague has been wiping out humanity, and... the half-animal half-human children hybrids have something to do with it."

Works for me!

Would The Doomsday Vault fit Option 3? The description doesn't mention zombies; however, the top 3 genres (as of July 30, 2020) are:

Science Fiction > Steampunk > 285 users
Fantasy > 63 users
Horror > Zombies > 25 users

I haven't read the novel yet so I don't know how much of the novel is zombies, though, with so many readers shelving it under "zombies" I believe there are zombies in the story :) .

I agree, DeeDee! I'll allow it.

I looked into it online and it has enough zombie in it to count.

For option 5: Pinkers (Newport City #2)
While it's not described there, it is noted in the description of the first book, Fleshers (Newport City #1): "...Newport City, the only habitable place left on a planet devastated by environmental catastrophe."

That works, right?

Yes, it does!

Thanks, Simone :)