November SFFCAT: Off on a Quest

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November SFFCAT: Off on a Quest

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1mathgirl40
Editado: Oct 14, 2015, 11:11 pm

   
   

Our SFFCAT theme for November is:
Off on a Quest -- Heroes, Superheroes, Puzzles and Epic Journeys

This covers a lot of ground. We have the following categories, with some sample works in each:

Heroes
The Once and Future King by T. H. White
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Superheroes
Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon

Epic Journeys (in a fantasy world)
The Lord of the Rings for J. R. R. Tolkien
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin

Epic Journeys (to outer space)
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Blindsight by Peter Watts
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

Puzzles, including mysteries to be solved
Lock In by John Scalzi
The City and the City by China Miéville
The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

What are you planning to read in November? Suggestions that fit our theme are welcome, whether you plan to read them or not!

You can record the books you've read on our Wiki page.

2DeltaQueen50
Oct 15, 2015, 1:45 am

I am hoping to read Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, but it appears to be missing off my shelves. If I don't manage to locate it, I may substitute a re-read of The Lies of Locke Lamora which I need to read again to refresh my memory before moving on with the rest of the trilogy.

I am also planning on reading The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley.

3MarthaJeanne
Editado: Oct 15, 2015, 2:41 am

I'm rereading the Valdemar series. Many of the books have heros/heroines off on journeys.

4majkia
Oct 15, 2015, 7:00 am

I've got Blindsight set to go, and I hope to get to Into the Black by Evan Currie .

5cbl_tn
Oct 15, 2015, 8:33 am

I'm planning on The Phantom Tollbooth, which I somehow missed reading as a child.

6sturlington
Oct 15, 2015, 8:53 am

I believe the book I am currently reading, The Warrior's Apprentice, fits this theme. For next month, I am planning to read Going Through the Change. It is the first novel published by a friend of mine about women going through menopause who suddenly develop superpowers--should be a fun read.

7mathgirl40
Oct 15, 2015, 8:54 am

>2 DeltaQueen50: >3 MarthaJeanne: >4 majkia: >5 cbl_tn: All great choices! Nice to see a children's book in the list. I think this month's theme lends itself well to children's and YA fiction.

8LittleTaiko
Oct 15, 2015, 10:29 am

I'm planning on reading Dirk's Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams - seems to fit the puzzles section.

9Kristelh
Oct 15, 2015, 11:22 am

For sure I will read Hyperion by Dan Simmons. It would also be great to finally get to the Lord of the Rings. I also have The Wizard of Earthsea, so lots of choices for me.

10rabbitprincess
Oct 15, 2015, 4:49 pm

>8 LittleTaiko: Ooh, good thought! I have a full-cast dramatization of Dirk Gently that I've been meaning to get to.

Otherwise, my choice will be a reread of The Return of the King, for which I had to force the touchstone! That is crazy.

11LibraryCin
Oct 15, 2015, 6:48 pm

I'm sure I'll find something, but off the top of my head, this one is a bit trickier. I'll have to check my tbr a little closer.

12LibraryCin
Oct 17, 2015, 5:20 pm

hmmm, I initially used the tag "quest" and that brought up a few more than the others. These are the options using "quest" as a keyword (but I'm not sure I'll use that).
The Last Olympian / Rick Riordan
Son / Lois Lowry
Secrets of the Crown / Adan Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

Using "heroes" as a tag, I also got:
The Last Olympian / Rick Riordan

Using "puzzles":
The Maze Runner / James Dashner

If I go with these options, as long as it's available via the library, my preference will be The Maze Runner, I think.

13LibraryCin
Oct 17, 2015, 6:12 pm

Oooh, found another that I might be more excited about!
The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom / Christopher Healy

14Robertgreaves
Oct 21, 2015, 10:14 pm

I'm thinking of The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse, interpreting it as a quest for intellectual and spiritual self-development.

15mathgirl40
Oct 21, 2015, 10:38 pm

>8 LittleTaiko: I have Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency on my shelf too. Maybe I'll see if I squeeze this in too. I'd planned to read The Great Hunt from the Wheel of Time series.

16christina_reads
Oct 23, 2015, 1:09 pm

I have the graphic novel Nimona by Noelle Stevenson on hold at the library...hopefully it will arrive in time for me to read it for this CAT!

17mathgirl40
Nov 1, 2015, 11:05 am

>16 christina_reads: I've been wanting to try Lumberjanes by Stevenson. Nimona looks good too.

So November has arrived! I've started The Great Hunt, the second in the Wheel of Time series, about the main characters' quest for a magical and powerful horn.

18MarthaJeanne
Nov 2, 2015, 11:57 am

I think I can count By the Sword for this one.

19mysterymax
Nov 3, 2015, 6:23 am

I'm counting the Harry Dresden story, The Warrior, in Mean Streets for this.

20Kristelh
Nov 5, 2015, 12:00 pm

I am reading Hyperion for this one.

21DeltaQueen50
Nov 5, 2015, 2:11 pm

I have completed my read for this month's theme, The Lies of Locke Lamora was every bit as good this second time around and I am looking forward to continuing on with the next two books in the trilogy.

22mathgirl40
Nov 12, 2015, 9:00 am

>21 DeltaQueen50: This looks like a good series. I'll have to keep in in mind ... after I make more progress on all the other epic fantasy series I've started!

I'm 450 pages through the 650 pages of The Great Hunt. The problem with these fantasy quest novels is that the hero always takes such a terribly long time to complete the quest! I guess most of these worlds don't have GPS.

23DeltaQueen50
Nov 12, 2015, 12:04 pm

>22 mathgirl40: I think you will like The Lies of Locke Lamora, Paulina. I started the Wheel of Time series many years ago and read three or four of the books and then, for some reason, didn't carry on. I've been thinking lately that I should start it all over again, but the sheer size of the series makes me think I best get some of my other series finished before I tackle that.

24mamzel
Editado: Nov 13, 2015, 10:35 am



Ashfall by Mike Mullin (2002)

I am counting this book for this category since it certainly meets all the prerequisites of a journey book. Besides, it's a great story.

25LibraryCin
Nov 14, 2015, 8:20 pm

This fits "puzzles"

The Maze Runner / James Dashner
4 stars

Thomas wakes up in some sort of box and doesn't remember anything from before. Some boys bring him in, but they don't really explain much of what's going on. The next day a girl also arrives in the box. This has never happened before! There haven't been any girls before and “newbies” only arrive every month! As Thomas starts to figure out what's going on, he realizes he actually knows more than he originally thought. And he can help with getting everyone out.

It may not be the greatest summary, but I was interested pretty much from the start. Initially, I wanted to just figure out what was going on, then as we started to figure out more of that, I was rooting for them to get out. The book did keep me wanting to read and wanting to know what would happen next. It does end with an obvious way to continue the next book in the series, and there's no question I liked it enough to continue on.

26dudes22
Editado: Nov 15, 2015, 5:47 am

>25 LibraryCin: - I just got this from the library and plan to start it later today. Good to know its a 4 star read.

27LibraryCin
Nov 15, 2015, 1:47 pm

>26 dudes22: It was for me! I have seen some other reviews where people didn't like it as much, but I really enjoyed it. I hope you do, too!!

28dudes22
Nov 15, 2015, 2:46 pm

S>27 LibraryCin: - I started it and already I'm anxious to see what's going on.

29LibraryCin
Nov 15, 2015, 4:12 pm

>28 dudes22: Good to hear!

30AHS-Wolfy
Nov 15, 2015, 5:38 pm

I finished Towers of Midnight yesterday. The 13th book of the Wheel of Time series.

31MissWatson
Nov 15, 2015, 6:59 pm

Emperor of thorns certainly counts for the hero theme. Wow. it's been quite a ride.

32sturlington
Nov 16, 2015, 1:40 pm

Breakdown by Katherine Amt Hanna is something of a quest story. It takes place after an epidemic and subsequent breakdown of society, as a man travels across England to find his remaining family. It's also pretty much a romance.

33DeltaQueen50
Nov 17, 2015, 10:01 pm

I have added The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley to the Wiki. I loved this book and can see why so many LTers have listed it as one of their all time favorites.

34dudes22
Nov 20, 2015, 4:29 pm

I've finished The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

35LibraryCin
Nov 20, 2015, 6:15 pm

>34 dudes22: What did you think? (Or do I not want to know!?)

36dudes22
Nov 20, 2015, 8:20 pm

>35 LibraryCin: - I had much the same reaction as you. But will probably not continue reading the series.

37mathgirl40
Nov 20, 2015, 10:43 pm

There seems to be a lot of interest in The Maze Runner for this month's challenge! I'd read this a couple of years ago, did not care for it and decided not to continue the series. However, maybe I should revisit that decision. I did wonder about what happens next.

I finished The Great Hunt, the second book of the Wheel of Time series. It was enjoyable but felt very long. It amazes me how many ideas and character types Robert Jordan recycles from earlier authors of epic fantasy. At the same time, it amazes me how much newer authors seem to "steal" from him! There is a very similar character with the same name in one of Patrick Rothfuss's books. I wonder if it's tribute or coincidence.

38LibraryCin
Nov 21, 2015, 12:12 am

>37 mathgirl40: Well, I plan to continue the series, so will post a review when I'm done the next one. "Problem" is, I can take a year or two to move on to the next book in a series! It just depends when it might fit for a monthly challenges, but even then, if there is something that's been on my tbr longer, I tend to try to get to those first!

39mathgirl40
Nov 21, 2015, 7:19 am

>38 LibraryCin: Oh, I understand completely! I keep telling myself not to start any new series until I've made progress on others, but I don't have much will-power to resist.

40LibraryCin
Nov 21, 2015, 3:21 pm

>39 mathgirl40: haha! Yeah, I at least try not to add any more book 1s to my tbr. (Though I will still try the ones - eventually - that are already there.) Try being the operative word, I think! :-)

41MarthaJeanne
Nov 21, 2015, 5:48 pm

I also read The Hobbit

42Robertgreaves
Nov 21, 2015, 5:49 pm

>38 LibraryCin: Now I'm the opposite. Once I'm on a series, I keep going until I'm up to date, I can't get hold of the next one, or I have to stop because I've got a book club deadline coming up.

43LibraryCin
Nov 21, 2015, 6:16 pm

>42 Robertgreaves: I just have too many monthly challenges to do it that way. At the same time, I suspect (though I don't know) that I might get bored of the same for that long!

44Robertgreaves
Editado: Nov 22, 2015, 7:03 am

COMPLETED A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay.

My review:

When a seance is interrupted by a mysterious stranger endeavouring to strangle an ectoplasmic manifestation, Maskull follows his companion Nightspore and the stranger, Krag, to an observatory in Scotland from where he is transported to Tormance, a planet orbiting the twin stars of Arcturus. Drawn onwards in a quest to find Surtur (aka Shaping), Maskull travels across Tormance.

The beginning is very strange. The people attending the seance are all described in minute detail and then are simply ignored for the rest of the book. The scenes on Tormance are like a dream with random conversations and events which seem to be in a general way symbolic of life as lived by the ignorant soul trying to find its way to some sort of gnostic vision of God, though quite what sort of events or conditions in life are symbolised it's difficult to see.

Written in 1920, it was a strong influence on CS Lewis and his SF trilogy.

45MarthaJeanne
Nov 22, 2015, 11:23 am

Blood Red would count, too.

Too many vampires and werewolves for my taste, but Lackey makes it bearable.

46staci426
Nov 25, 2015, 8:30 am

I finished Seekers: The Quest Begins by Erin Hunter, a children's fantasy told from the point of view of three different bear cubs each on a journey. I really enjoyed it.

47mathgirl40
Nov 26, 2015, 10:04 pm

Don't forget to update our Wiki page with your November SFFCAT reads, if you've not done so already!
http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/2015_SpecCAT

48Kristelh
Editado: Nov 29, 2015, 8:46 pm

I completed the first part of The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring.

49LibraryCin
Editado: Nov 30, 2015, 6:49 pm

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom / Christopher Healy
4 stars

The collective Prince(s) Charming are all different princes. Prince Frederick (Cinderella's prince) grew up coddled and not allowed to do anything, so he is afraid of adventure. Prince Gustav (Rapunzel) is a burly guy and the youngest of 16 princes. Prince Liam (Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty) seems well-adjusted and most “hero”-like of all four princes, but Briar Rose is a horrible person, so Liam breaks it off with her. Prince Duncan (Snow White) is pretty laid-back and easy-going and is the only prince who has actually married his princess.

This was a lot of fun! If you want to continue on with the “ever after” part of the various stories and see all the princes work together, this is a great book. Bronson Pinchot was the narrator of the book and was (probably no surprise) amazing! Not only does he do amazing accents, but all the different voices – you would never know it's one person! I am definitely continuing the series and as long as Pinchot continues to read it, I'll likely be looking for the audios.

50mathgirl40
Nov 30, 2015, 10:16 pm

>48 Kristelh: Well done! Are you planning to read the next book right away? I've been doing a reread of the trilogy about once every decade so far. :)

>49 LibraryCin: This sounds like a very fun book!

51LibraryCin
Editado: Dic 1, 2015, 1:47 am

>50 mathgirl40: It really is!

ETA: And shoot! I missed adding in one sentence at the end of the summary paragraph! Oops... I've posted it in so many places now, it's too much effort to go back and change them all. Maybe tomorrow, I'll just change them on the book pages... (on all four sites I post to...)

52sturlington
Dic 1, 2015, 11:17 am

I finished another book for this month's theme: Going Through the Change by Samantha Bryant, a friend of mine. It is about four menopausal women who gain superpowers, a nice twist on the usual superhero fantasy. It's the first in a planned trilogy.

53countrylife
Dic 2, 2015, 2:42 pm

My book was for the "journey" part of the challenge:

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Every Burnford

54mamzel
Dic 2, 2015, 2:53 pm

>53 countrylife: I can't read books like that without crying. Good ending or bad - it makes no difference.

55countrylife
Dic 2, 2015, 7:19 pm

>54 mamzel: : It's been many, many years since I first read The Incredible Journey, so my memory is mostly of the talking-animal movie version that I enjoyed watching over and over with my children. There were plenty of tears to go around throughout those viewings!

56mathgirl40
Dic 3, 2015, 9:47 pm

>52 sturlington: That premise sounds fantastic (in all senses of the word)!

>53 countrylife: I've never read this book or seen the movie, but it sounds lovely.