The Challenge Factory discussion

ROUND 14: SUPER SERIES CHALLENGE

✸ This is a team challenge that requires 1 book a week . The object of the game is to roll the dice and move along the board. To win a team must roll past 100. Teams will roll on Fridays.

✸ R14 Super Series Sign Ups are open 01/15 through 01/23. Then teams will be formed and the game will officially start on 01/27.

✸ Teams are formed at random.

✸ Teams will roll the dice by clicking "https://www.random.org/dice/" on Fridays once their team has completed their reads. Please note you will be using two dice for each roll.


**VERY IMPORTANT**
A team CANNOT advance if all the reviews are not complete and in by the deadline. Reviews are due at the latest by end of day on Friday - 11.59pm Central Time. Without a free pass to cover a review still missing by deadline, the team will have to sit out the next roll. That being said, players should have their reviews in on Thursday as your team captain cannot roll until ALL of the team reviews have been posted.

❖If a player fails to have their book done two times throughout the game (excluding a prearranged absence) they will no longer be a part of the team.

✸ Prearranged absence must be requested from the moderator in charge by pm or in your team thread before the team rolls for the week you need to skip.


HOW TO PICK A BOOK:
✸ Books are based on the spot you're on, not the roll of the dice.
If you land on single digit spot, for example let's say you land on spot 5, then you have to read a book that's #5 in a series. For double digit numbers, for example you land on spot 48, you can read either a #4 or a #8 in a series.
✸ Standalone books can be used for a 1 or a 0
✸ First in a series can be used for a 1
✸ I don't expect anyone to read a series out of order and for people that don't read series books that still want to play there will be an alternate option. There will be an alternate option for each spot.
✸Half books: ½ or .5 count only if they meet the page requirement AND will be judged by preceding whole number numeral on Goodreads.
Example: Spot 8: A MacKenzie Clan Gathering (MacKenzies & McBrides, #8.5) would count for spot 8 because it meets the page limit.
✸ Books in multiple series can be used for ANY of the series. An example: Azagoth (1001 Dark Nights, #6; Lords of Deliverance, #5.5; Demonica, #10.5) can be used for spot 6 for 1001 Dark Nights, spot 5 for LoD or spot 10 for Demonica because it meets the page limit.


✸ There will be a separate thread for captains to post their place on the board after rolling and a link to the team's completed reviews.


FREE PASS
✸ Teams will have a chance to earn 1 Free Pass to roll. To earn your free pass your team has to complete their reads a day before the next roll (i.e. 11:59pm Thursday). Once your team has done this you will have 1 free pass. The free pass will allow a team to roll if they are missing a review(s) before the cutoff. Once you've used it, you can't earn another one. It's a one-time shot. NOTE:
✸ The free pass may not be used for the win.
✸ If the player whose review the free pass is covering for has already previously missed a deadline, they must submit the missing review within one day after the deadline if they wish to retain their place on the team.


BONUS POINTS:

✸ One point can be earned for reading three or more books in a series.
✸ One point can be earned for reading a book with >500 pages.
✸ One point can be earned for starting and finishing a series. There must be at least 4 books in that series. Series + spin-off totalling ≥4 books also counts. For series with >9 books, point will be awarded for reading books 1-9. For still ongoing series, all books published to date (OR up to #9 in longer series) must be read.~ No re-reads on this one.
✸ 2 in 1: One point can be earned for reading a book that fits both the series number and the alternate for the spot you are on.
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate list. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
✸ One point can be earned for always picking a book from the alternate list. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
NOTE:
✸ Each point can only be earned once per team.
✸ The series-specific bonus points (3 or more books/ starting and finishing a series) must be two different series.
✸ Single book bonuses (>500 pages/ 2 in 1) may overlap with a series bonus.

How to use bonus points:
✸ Bonus points can be added to your roll to move you further along the board. Each bonus point can only be earned once and spent once.
✸ Bonus points may be used for the win. Example: Your team rolls and lands on spot 97. Your team has earned 4 bonus points. You can use your bonus points to move to spot 101 and compete for the win.
✸ You don't have to use all your bonus points at the same time.
✸ You can also use your bonus points earlier in the game. Example: Your team has earned 3 bonus points. Your team rolls and lands on spot 88. A team member doesn't have a book that is either #8 in a series or fits the alternate. They do however have a #9. Your team may decide to use 1 bonus point to move to spot 89 and have 2 bonus points remaining for later use.


✸ Re-reads are allowed ( ~EXCEPT on Winning Spots, no re-reads to win)
✸ Page limit: min. 140 pages
✸ When using an anthology you may use any of the numbers in the book except for the .5 since this means ½. But you must review each story in the anthology. The same applies to short story collections.
✸ Series # will be based on how GR has it listed.
✸ Comics, graphic novels and manga don't count for this challenge
✸ Deadline cutoffs are based on US Central time zone

✸✸✸ Any questions please feel free to ask!

Round 14 SS Sign Ups

ALTERNATE LIST:
**titles exclude leading articles (a, an, the)

2. Published between 1950 and 1999
3. Title 'L'
4. Several authors
5. Cover: Green
6. Author 'Y'
7. Science Fiction
8. Title 'N'
9. Cover Item: Building
10. Author 'L'
11. Cover: Orange
12. Published 2020
13. Book with a funeral in it
14. New to You Author
15. MC travels by airplane
16. Title 'G'
17. MC has at least one child
18. Young Adult/New Adult
19. Europe
20. Author 'M'
21. Cover Item: Umbrella/Parasol
22. Non-Fiction
23. Number in the Title (Third Grave Dead Ahead or Every Fifteen Minutes)
24. Set on an island
25. Book to Movie/TV (must state how book qualifies: listopia, imdb, precis)
26. Africa
27. Title 'T'
28. Cover Item: Hands/Arms/Feet/Legs (no other body parts visible)
29. Author 'O'
30. Romance
31. Title 'Z'
32. Mystery/Thriller
33. Cover Item: Water
34. GR average rating >4.0
35. Set sometime before 1600 AD
36. MC is older than 60
37. Cover: Pink
38. Published 2001-2010
39. Set in a Fictional Location/Universe
40. Title 'E'
41. Cover: Black
42. Cover Item: Furniture
43. Published before 1950
44. Author 'D'
45. Cover Item: Mode of Transportation
46. Author 'H'
47. Title has a subtitle
48. Cover Item: Lamp/Candle
49. School/College/University
50. Author 'W'
51. Cover: Red
52. Award Winner (must state which/when)
53. South America
54. Cover Item: Dress
55. Cover: Brown
56. Re-read
57. Seasonal Theme (i.e Christmas, Halloween etc)
58. Author 'B'
59. Three Word Title (excludes articles like A, An, The) Behind Closed Doors or Etched in Bone
60. Published 2022
61. Set in a place you've visited
62. Cover Item: One person
63. Author 'R'
64. Title 'C'
65. Cover Item: Food/Drink
66. LGBTQ+
67. Cover: Blue
68. Author 'I'
69. Oceania
70. Four or More Words Title (excluding articles like A, An, The) The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
71. Favorite Author
72. Cover: Purple
73. Fantasy
74. Author 'F'
75. Title 'G'
76. Set in the future
77. Published 2011-2015
78. Cover Item: Weapon
79. Set anytime between 1600-1837
80. Published 2021
81. Cover: White
82. Cover Item: Sun/Moon
83. Author 'P'
84. Author uses their middle name/initial (e.g. Robert J. Sawyer, Rita Mae Brown)
85. Cover Item: Hat/Helmet/Other Headwear
86. Title 'J'
87. Originally published in a language other than English
88. Two Word Title (excluding articles like A, An, The) Deadly Silence, The Hunger Games
89. Cover Item: Book
90. Set anytime between 1837-1901
91. Asia
92. MC is in their 20's
93. Title 'V'
94. Cover Item: Animal
95. Book that a teammate rated 5 stars
96. Less than 100 ratings
97. Published the year you were born
98. Cover: Yellow/Gold
99. Author uses a pseudonym
100. Author 'S'
101. Title 'B'
102. North America
103. Debut Novel or Debut Author
104. Book with a wedding in it
105. Cover Item: Jewelry
106. MC has a pet
107. Set in space
108. Published 2016-2019
109. One Word Title (excluding articles like A, An, The) The Witness or Divergent
110. Title 'F'
111. MC travels by train
112. Cover Item: Two or more people

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

★ You can use any edition of the book you read.
★ Books must be started after your team has rolled.
★ Review posts MUST include the following: Book title, author, cover, how it qualifies for the spot you're on, date finished, rating, review (min. 3 sentences)

Alternates:
★ Publication years: any edition so long as the book was originally published in the given year
★ Cover Colour: must be at least 50% (see guidelines in post below)
★ Cover Item: must have the given item on the cover
★ Locations: book must be set at least partially in the given location
★ Author letters: author's first, middle, or last name must start with the given letter
★ Title letters: first word in the title starts with the given letter, excluding the lead ARTICLE (The, A, An...)


FOR THOSE PLAYING BOTH
★YES, you can use the same book in both challenges.


EXAMPLE OF AN ACCEPTABLE POST

Week 2
Spot: 13

Book: Hell & High Water by Charlie Cochet
Qualification: THIRDS #1
Finished: 11 Jun 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Review:
Testifying against his partner and getting him locked up for murder leaves Detective Dex Daley deserted by his friends and colleagues as well as his boyfriend, a repeat target of violence, and on his way out of the job at the Human Police Force he loves. Instead of fired, however, he is recruited to join the elite Therian-Human Intelligence Recon Defense Squadron (THIRDS), working side by side with shapeshifters as a Defense Agent. Tossed right into the middle of a murder investigation, Dex has to get accustomed to his new situation quickly - and the fact that his new team is still reeling from the loss of one of their own and not at all happy to integrate his replacement really doesn't help. Neither does the fact that Dex's new teamleader may be a jerk, but he's a very attractive one.

These books have been on my TBR for ages, and I'm glad to finally get around to reading them. It took me a while to get into the story, familiarise myself with the universe (I'm really, really not a fan of "let me explain the entirety of my worldbuilding to you textbook-style" prologues, so I was immediately a little dubious about the whole thing), get to know the characters and pick up the terminology, but after a few chapters I was thoroughly hooked. Looking forward to continuing this series.

When using the alternate that involves cover items, colors, or publications years, please be sure to link the correct edition to show how the book qualifies.

Guideline for Alternate Category Cover Colour

Cover colour alternates tend to be a little tricky, since it can be very hard to tell whether something is 50% a certain colour. Here's a handy little 3-step guide for figuring out whether your chosen book qualifies.

1) Use your own judgment. If a book cover is quite clearly overwhelmingly the colour in question, you don't need additional verification.

Examples:
Blue:
Grey:
Yellow:

2) When in doubt, you can use this tool "http://labs.tineye.com/color/" to check a cover. If TinEye confirms your cover is at least 50% the colour in question, go ahead and use it.
Note: You may need to uncheck "Exclude background color from extracted colors" to get a proper result.

Example:
White: (50.3% white according to TinEye)

3) If it's a close call (say, 40-49.9% the right colour according to TinEye), or TinEye gives you a result you vehemently disagree with (apparently it does that sometimes, unfortunately), or you have trouble using the site/ would generally prefer a human opinion, post the book cover in question to the discussion thread and ask me. I reserve the right to overrule TinEye in cases of a close call or dodgy result.

Examples:
Grey: (44.9% grey according to TinEye. I chose to overrule and let the player use it.)
Orange: (41.1% orange according to TinEye. I would probably choose to overrule.)

*reserved

For #17 MC has a child does it need to be born to them. Or can it be adopted, foster child, a ward (guardianship), older sibling in custody of their minor siblings?

For #69 define the region please?

#4 how many is several? Would a two author novel work Hijacked?

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "For #17 MC has a child does it need to be born to them. Or can it be adopted, foster child, a ward (guardianship), older sibling in custody of their minor siblings?"

Any of these will work. Let's say the MC needs to be the parent (biological, foster or adoptive - estranged parent who hasn't seen their kid in years also works) or legal guardian of a minor.

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "For #69 define the region please?"

The Wikipedia definition reads "Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia" - so Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and a lot of Pacific islands.
Wikipedia also has a decent map of what's included here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceania...

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "#4 how many is several? Would a two author novel work Hijacked?"

More than one. Your example works.

Thanks for the answers.

If we arrange with you to have a week off for vacation plans, but are able to finish our book anyway, can we still submit it?

Logan wrote: "If we arrange with you to have a week off for vacation plans, but are able to finish our book anyway, can we still submit it?"

Sure, you can submit it if you like. Having a week off arranged in advance just means your review isn't required for the team to move forward.

Team 9 is all checked in and accounted for. I will be Captain. We would like to be called: Say You'll be nine
thanks lorii

Team 6 is all checked in.
Team Captain is me Michelle
Team Name is Super Six

Team 8 is all checked in.
Captain will be Suzanne.
We would like to be Never Ending Story.

For genre, does it have to be MPG?

Celia wrote: "For genre, does it have to be MPG?"

Nope, as long as someone other than yourself has tagged it as such you can use it.

Team 7 had one person who hasn't checked in yet.

Team 5 is missing one member.
I will be Captaining, and we are maybe working on a name?? We may just stay Team 5. :)

Team 10 captains are Vi and Delitealex. We are still thinking of a team name

Team 11 captain is Geri. We are still working on a name.

Team 2 is "In it 2 win it" I will be Captain.

Team #3 would like to be named



Mamacita aka MawMaw & Eunice will be Co-Captaining Team #3

Team 10 team name Longshot Fire Gang

Team 4 wants to be called 4cing me to finish series

Kayla wrote: "Team 7 had one person who hasn't checked in yet."

Stacey wrote: "Team 5 is missing one member."

I see Team 7's missing player has turned up.
Stacey, have you tried to reach yours via pm? Let me know if they haven't turned up by Friday.

Denise wrote: "Kayla wrote: "Team 7 had one person who hasn't checked in yet."

Stacey wrote: "Team 5 is missing one member."

I see Team 7's missing player has turned up.
Stacey, have you tried to reach yours vi..."

I haven't. I was hesitant as I wasn't sure which sign up post was hers?

Stacey wrote: "Denise wrote: "Kayla wrote: "Team 7 had one person who hasn't checked in yet."

Stacey wrote: "Team 5 is missing one member."

I see Team 7's missing player has turned up.
Stacey, have you tried to..."

Okay, I sent her a pm, hopefully she'll turn up in your team thread soon or get back to me if she has to pull out for some reason.

Team 11 name is One By One. Thanks!

Would the top one cancel either of the bottom 2?

✸ 2 in 1: One point can be earned for reading a book that fits both the series number and the alternate for the spot you are on.
✸ One point can be earned for never picking a book from the alternate list. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.
✸ One point can be earned for always picking a book from the alternate list. This point is awarded when your team rolls past 90.

If your intention was to do all alternates but one of them also happened to be a series book so that it worked for '2-in-1', would it cancel 'always picking alternate'?

For the purposes of the no alternates and all alternates bonus points, your 2 in 1 book will count as whichever of those you need.

Denise wrote: "For the purposes of the no alternates and all alternates bonus points, your 2 in 1 book will count as whichever of those you need."

I'm confused about
NOTE:
✸ Each point can only be earned once per team
✸ The series-specific bonus points (3 or more books/ starting and finishing a series) must be two different series

If we can only earn the bonus once per team, why does it need to be 2 different series?

Team 1 would like to be named The One-stoppables. Thanks!

Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "Denise wrote: "For the purposes of the no alternates and all alternates bonus points, your 2 in 1 book will count as whichever of those you need."

I'm confused about

NOTE:
✸ Each point can only..."

There are two different bonus points that involve reading multiple books from the same series:

✸ One point can be earned for reading three or more books in a series.
✸ One point can be earned for starting and finishing a series. There must be at least 4 books in that series. Series + spin-off totalling ≥4 books also counts. For series with >9 books, point will be awarded for reading books 1-9. For still ongoing series, all books published to date (OR up to #9 in longer series) must be read.~ No re-reads on this one.

For the first one (the easier one) you can use re-reads. It can be any three books from the series you choose, so you can read e.g. books #3-5 from a series you started previously.
The second one has to be a complete series you haven't read before.

Denise wrote: "Mamacita aka MawMaw wrote: "Denise wrote: "For the purposes of the no alternates and all alternates bonus points, your 2 in 1 book will count as whichever of those you need."

I'm confused about

..."

Ah. OK I get that. But even the 2 for 1 can only be used once?

I'm not quite sure what you're asking.
There are six different bonus points. You can earn one of each per team.

We have finished early with our week 2 completions posts and I want to submit them. Do I have to wait till Friday to roll and when I do so, come back and add it to the post or can we roll today and post it with our completion post? Sorry, I can't remember what we did last year.

You have to wait until Friday to roll. Since you have all reviews in, you're good to go right at midnight.
Mostly people gather all the team's reviews together in one post in their team thread and then just put a link to that post in the Post Your Spot thread together with the new roll.

Fot alt 33 cover water would a frozen over pond work?

I'll take it.
Looking forward to your review of this one, it's the only one of his that I haven't read yet!

Is this clear enough for water? There's a lake between the dark pinnacles & green hills.

Works for me!

Denise, I'll be going out of town this Friday 2/24 and coming back next Friday 3/3. Can I be excused from the check in on 3/3?

I'm going to try to get the book done anyway but just in case I don't have the time thought I'd be safe.

Logan wrote: "Denise, I'll be going out of town this Friday 2/24 and coming back next Friday 3/3. Can I be excused from the check in on 3/3?

I'm going to try to get the book done anyway but just in case I don'..."

That's fine. Have a good trip! :)

Denise wrote: "I'll take it.
Looking forward to your review of this one, it's the only one of his that I haven't read yet!"

Review is posted, you need to read this!

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "Denise wrote: "I'll take it.
Looking forward to your review of this one, it's the only one of his that I haven't read yet!"

Review is posted, you need to read this!"

Thx! Glad you enjoyed it so much. It's sitting on my Kindle already... :)