John's 2015 BFB challenge part two.

The group is set up so please come along and join and see how many BFB's you can read in 2015. Last year we had a lively group of BFB readers and some lovely discussions about these sometimes unloved books. With my other challenge to read at least 75 books and the way I have set my reading format up I aim to read at LEAST 35 BFB's, am I mad. Well join and see how I go on, looking forward to seeing you all.

Cheers John, I'll try to match your 35 BFBs so with some help we'll hit the 100 !

Yes John, you are mad! But a lovely kind of mad indeed.
Thank you for setting this up for us. I hope you have a great year and BTW:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!~!

Hi John, Happy New Year to you and thanks for setting up the group!

I will be starting my first BFB of 2015, Revenge by Martina Cole, 612 pages. I am looking forward to this as I love Martina Cole's books.

I will be starting my 2nd BFB tonight, The Apocalypse Watch by Robert Ludlum, 751 pages. I will have two BFB's being read at the moment as part of my reading challenge for 2015.

Two at once ? That's showing off mate !

>7 bryanoz:, I always have two books on the go at any one time, one for daytime and t carry around and the other is my bed side book. Currently the Martina Cole is the day time and Ludlum the bedside, when the Cole book is finished the Ludlum will become the daytime and the next BFB will become the bedside book. With my 2015 reading plan I will be reading two BFB's at the same time on four occasions on each cycle (see my 75ers thread for details). Therefore to reach my target of reading 75 books I will have to do seven complete cycles and be halfway through the eighth and so if I achieve this I will read 35 BFB's this year.

I am close to finishing my first BFB of 2015, an update tomorrow.

My first BFB of 2015 finished just before lunchtime today, Revenge by Martina Cole, 612 pages. This just crept in the parameters of this group but I am in the tail end of my reading cycle which means the BFB's. Currently reading The Apocalypse Watch by Robert Ludlum and have started An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi, 751 pages and 890 pages.

Great reading mate, looks like the group will smash the 100 books this year !

Wow, you are doing great!

>11 bryanoz:, Thanks Bryan, I am sure we will break through the 100 BFB's for the year.

>12 MissWatson:, Thanks Miss Watson.

Finished my second BFB a short while ago, The Apocalypse Watch by Robert Ludlum, 751 pgs. I am about halfway through An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi 890 pgs and will also be starting Duncton Quest by William Horwood 916 pgs.

Nice !

You are doing so well John. Excellent!

Pretty funny though as I just completed An Absolute Scandal. Am yet muddling what to rate it (probably not much). Anyway we were twins for a bit there. ;-)

My third BFB finished a short while ago, An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi, 890 pgs. I did enjoy this but not as much as her previous books that I have read, it did bring back memories of the Lloyds fall from grace when it was thought a case of the wealthy getting payback but this book shows that the not so wealthy were gathered into this business and they were caught for large amounts when they should never have been a name in the first place. I hope the next Vincenzi I read is back to her normal high standards.

Whilst continuing with Duncton Quest 916 pages, I will be starting New York by Edward Rutherfurd, 1017 pages.

You are doing so well!

>18 MissWatson:, Thanks Miss Watson.

I finished my fourth BFB of 2015 a short while ago, Duncton Quest by William Horwood, 916 pgs.

Finished my ninth book of the year Duncton Quest by William Horwood, this is the second in the Duncton Chronicles. I have absolutely loved reading this and will have to read the third one soon as it has been a while since I started the first. This is a tale of moles and the trials and tribulations of a mole called Tryfan who is trying to maintain the power of the stone against the Northern Grikes who are fanatical about the way of the Word. It is the mole equivalent of The Lord of The Rings and it emotional, heart rending and loving and you will want to read more.

Great work John, if only the England cricket team was going as well !

Your 4th BFB and not even 2 months into the year! Amazing. You are doing so great John. Congrats.

>22 rainpebble:, Thanks Belva, 5th BFB will be finished before month end.

>21 bryanoz:, Hi Bryan, to say we have been playing One day cricket for just shy of 52 years you would think we should be better but we have learnt nothing since our 1979 final appearance. I don't know how the draw works out but it could be an Antipodean final.

Finished my fifth BFB a short while ago, New York by Edward Rutherfurd, 1017 pgs. It will be two or three weeks before I start my next BFB as I start cycle number two.

I just love Big Books so this thread is a good fit for me. My 1000+page reads are:

1.Shogun by James Clavell, 1243 pgs
2.Gai-Jin by James Clavell, 1578 pgs
3.Noble House by James Clavell, 1435 pgs
4.War & Remembrance by Herman Wouk, 1171 pgs
5.Whirlwind by James Clavell, 1343 pgs
6.Centennial by James A. Michener 1100 pgs
7.The Covenant by James A. Michener, 1080 pgs
8.Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd, 1344 pgs
9.Homeland by John Jakes, 1138 pgs
10.Russka by Edward Rutherfurd, 1007 pgs
11.A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, 1474 pgs
12.Love and War by John Jakes, 1019 pgs
13.Texas by James A. Michener, 1508 pgs
14.My Life by Bill Clinton, 1000 pgs
15.Child of the Phoenix by Barbara Erskine, 1086 pgs
16.Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, 1059 pgs
17.The Journeyer by Gary Jennings, 1219 pgs
18.Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton, 1144 pgs
19.Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton, 1235 pgs
20.Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon, 1185 pgs
21.Wicked by Jilly Cooper, 1007 pgs
22.The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, 1412 pgs
23.London by Edward Rutherfurd, 1299 pgs
24.The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, 1076 pgs
25.A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, 1391 pgs
26.World Without End by Ken Follett, 1111 pgs
27.Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey, 1,015 pgs
28.The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer, 1,056 pgs
29.An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, 1,065 pgs
30.New York by Edward Rutherfurd, 1017 pgs
31.Hawaii by James A.Michener, 1130 pgs
32.The Company by Robert Littell, 1281 pgs
33.The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F.Hamilton, 1225 pgs
34.Spangle by Gary Jennings, 1276 pgs
35.Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell, 1024 pgs

Wow, impressive! How much is that in pounds or tons?

Great list of big books John !

I did a quick count and find I have read 23 books over 1000 pages, yet only A Suitable Boy on your list, so there are plenty more to go.
Must get onto Kushiel's Dart......

Getting near to starting another BFB.

I will be starting my next BFB later today, The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, 670, pgs.

Ah, another one that is sitting unread on my shelves. Perhaps I shall read it soon & kill two birds with one stone: a BFB & a ROOT. I hope you like it and will await your remarks, John.

I am just over a third of the way through The Distant Hours by Kate Morton and will be starting Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones, 742 pages shortly.

Good on you mate, I have some smaller books to get through before my next BFB, somewhat frustrating...

>33 bryanoz:, you will soon get to the next BFB mate.

I have made a list of all the books of 1,000 pages or more that I haven't got or read so that I can try and hunt them down when we visit Hay-on-Wye next week.

>35 johnsimpson: How long is it? Enjoy the visit!

>36 MissWatson:, Hi , the list is 57 books and we are really looking forward to our trip.

These are my 1000 pagers that weren't on your list ;

Bleak House 1017, Clarissa 1499, Cryptonomicon 1139,
Gone With the Wind 1042, History of Tom Jones 1024, Infinite Jest 1079,
It 1138, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell 1006, Les Miserables 1232,
Reamde 1044, The Stand 1421, The Tale of Genji 1120,
U.S.A 1184, War and Peace 1358, The Way of Kings 1258,
Words of Radiance 1087, Memories of Ice 1180, House of Chains 1015,
The Bonehunters 1203, The Lord of the Rings 1216, The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant 1152,
The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant 1234, His Dark Materials 1016, 1Q84 can't remember.

Might add something to your list, happy hunting !

>38 bryanoz:, U.S.A is the only one I need to add to my list mate.

I finished my latest BFB just before tea today, The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, 670 pgs. I am a third of the way through Cathedral of the Sea and will be starting I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, 888 pgs.

I have finished my latest BFB, Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones, 742 pgs a short while ago. I am not sure what the next BFB will be yet but will post tomorrow.

Out of my 24 book haul from Hay-on-Wye and surrounding areas I managed to pick up four 1,000 +page books, they are:
Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer, 1374 pages
The Stand by Stephen King, 1325 pages
Fortunes Favourites by Colleen McCullough, 1040 pages
The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch, 1156 pages

My current reading is I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, 888 pages and Duncton Found by William Horwood, 978 pages.

Great work! My current reads are all under 400 pages. Ah well, the year is still young!

>44 MissWatson:, I really am pushing myself this year with my challenge, it is a cycle of ten books e.g, 100 to 199 pages, 200 to 299 pages up to 1,000 pages plus. I do like big books of 500+ pages any way but I thought this challenge would make me read more of the big books on the shelves in the loft.

Things are coming along ok, I am one third of the way through I Am Pilgrim and absolutely loving it. It is one of those books that you just want to read and read.

I am past the halfway mark of I Am Pilgrim and a tenth of the way through Duncton Found.

I finished my latest BFB a short while ago, I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, 888 pages. This is a really good read and I enjoyed it Immensely and would definitely recommend this for the TBR pile. Alongside Duncton Found I will be reading Hawaii by James A. Michener, 1,130 pages. So that is eight BFB's down, hopefully twenty-seven to go.

Keep up the good work, John!

>49 MissWatson:, Thank you.

Finished my latest BFB late last night, Duncton Found by William Horwood, 978 pages and should finish another before month end.

Well done! I really need to get to my own chunksters.

>52 MissWatson:, Thanks Miss Watson, I will be finishing my latest chunkster in the next hour or so, an 1130 page job.

Finished book Twenty late last night, Hawaii by James A.Michener, 1130 pages. I will have a short break before starting with the BFB's again.

WOW!~! You are really on a tear this year John. Here I am just on my 4th and you will be starting your 21st shortly. Way to go!~!

>55 rainpebble:, Hi Belva, ten BFB's read so far and just finished my 21st book of the year, will soon be back on the big ones.

I will be starting my next BFB shortly, Patriot Games by Tom Clancy, 616 pgs.

I have made a good start to my latest BFB and am wondering whether I can get two more done this month as I am trying to work out where I will be in my reading cycle for when we go on holiday, I would like to take two BFB's with me and that will suffice while we are away.

I am halfway through Patriot Games and will be starting A Glimpse of Stocking by Elizabeth Gage, 755 pgs.

Wow, this is truly admirable!

>60 MissWatson:, Thanks Miss Watson.

I finished Patriot Games by Tom Clancy just before lunch today, that's another BFB chalked up, number eleven of this year. I am a quarter of the way through A Glimpse of Stocking and will be starting Kiss and Tell by Fiona Walker, 883 pages tomorrow.

Twelth BFB of the year finished about thirty minutes ago, A Glimpse of Stocking by Elizabeth Gage, 755 pages. I started Kiss and Tell by Fiona Walker last night and haven't quite decided what the next one will be just yet but I will post later in the day with my choice.

My companion BFB to go with Kiss and Tell is going to be Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy, 928 pages.

I finished Kiss and Tell by Fiona Walker, 883 pages late last night. I am at page 490 with Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy and will be starting The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F.Hamilton, 1225 pages either tonight or tomorrow.

I finished my latest BFB a short while ago, Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy, 928 pages. This is my Fourteenth BFB and I am at page 325 of The Reality Dysfunction so only 900 pages to go before the end of the month. I hope that my next BFB's will be my holiday reading from the 17th July to the 31st. Happy reading to all.

2015 BFB's

1.Revenge by Martina Cole, 612 pages
2.The Apocalypse Watch by Robert Ludlum, 751 pgs
3. An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi, 890 pgs
4.Duncton Quest by William Horwood, 916 pgs
5.New York by Edward Rutherfurd, 1017 pgs
6.The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, 670 pgs
7.Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones, 742 pgs
8.I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, 888 pages
9.Duncton Found by William Horwood, 978 pages
10.Hawaii by James A.Michener, 1130 pages
11.Patriot Games by Tom Clancy, 616 pgs
12.A Glimpse of Stocking by Elizabeth Gage, 755 pages
13.Kiss and Tell by Fiona Walker, 883 pages
14.Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy, 928 pages
15.The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F.Hamilton, 1225 pgs
16.Private Desires by Elizabeth Adler, 640 pgs
17.Flavour of the Month by Olivia Goldsmith, 768 pgs
18.The Decision by Penny Vincenzi, 877 pgs
19.Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer, 915 pgs
20.The Company by Robert Littell, 1281 pgs

I finished my Fifteenth BFB an hour ago, The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F.Hamilton, 1225 pages. I will start my next BFB on holiday and will be taking three with me but I haven't decided on them yet.

Nice work John, have a nice holiday !

>69 bryanoz: Thanks Bryan.

I will be starting my next batch of BFB's whilst on holiday, I may not get them all read and so the last two may change if I haven't started them by the time we get home, they are as follows:

Private Desires by Elizabeth Adler, 640 pages
Flavour of the Month by Olivia Goldsmith, 764 pages
Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens, 808 pages
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, 920 pages

The last two have been put in the luggage as they are small, they are pocket size books from the 1920/30's and have wafer thin pages.

Enjoy your holiday!

>72 MissWatson:, Thanks Miss Watson

First of the holiday BFB's started, Private Desires by Elizabeth Adler, 640 pages.

John, I never get anywhere near as much reading as I plan when on holiday (just been away 5 days and read 200 pages ?), good luck with the reading, hope you enjoy David Copperfield, one of my favourite Dickens, cheers !

I am a third of the way through Private Desires by Elizabeth Alder and must say I am enjoying it. It is interesting to see how mistresses were treated in France at the turn of the century.

Well, I put four BFB's in my case and haven't finished one book during the fortnight but am on track to finish the one I am reading by Tuesday I hope. Think it was too much sunbathing, eating out, drinking and sightseeing that curtailed my reading.

Always happens to me too, although an occasional break from reading probably doesn't hurt too much !

>78 bryanoz:, I think it has probably done me good mate, only read 35 books so far but with my challenge having five BFB's in each cycle it has resulted in me having read just over 20,000 pages so far. I am behind on books read but well up on pages read, can't have it all ways though.

Finally finished my Sixteenth BFB, Private Desires by Elizabeth Adler, 640 pgs, the next one off the block is Flavour of the Month by Olivia Goldsmith, 764 pgs.

Great reading!

>81 MissWatson: Thanks Miss Watson.

Agree with the great reading mate !

Have some lesser books to get out of the way then 3 BFBs booked in, cheers.

Have a great Ashes test as well, hopefully going 5 days and close !

>83 bryanoz:, Don't think you will like today's action mate, close of play and your already 214 runs behind and England have six wickets in hand with Root overnighting on 124. Think this may be the end for Clarke, he has been a bloody good servant for Aussie cricket but this may be too much for him/ Enjoy the lesser books before you get on with the three BFB's mate.

Wo...glad I missed that ! All power to you guys, well done !

>85 bryanoz: Cheers mate, it didn't go too well today for your boys although they did avoid the ignominy of a two day defeat. I will enjoy this game for what it is and it could happen to England next time round, that's why we love the game of cricket.

Harlot's Ghost has been on my list for years. No better time than the present, right!

>87 allthingswords: Exactly.

Finished my Seventeenth BFB about an hour ago, Flavour of the Month by Olivia Goldsmith, 764 pgs. The next BFB off the rank is The Decision by Penny Vincenzi, 877 pgs.

Finished my Eighteenth BFB last night, The Decision by Penny Vincenzi, 877 pgs. The next BFB oof the rank is Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer, 915 pgs.

Finished my Nineteenth BFB late on Friday night, Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer, 915 pages. The next off the rank is The Company by Robert Littell, 1281 pages.

I have made a good start to The Company and am a sixth of the way through it and am really enjoying it.

I must say that I am really enjoying The Company and am now a third of the way through this weighty tome.

I am doing really well with The Company at the moment. I am at the three-quarter mark and should finish it before month end.

Great reading mate, my BFB reading is stagnating ATM but you are inspiring me !

Finished The Company by Robert Littell, 1281 pages and therefore finished my fourth reading cycle, I may get to start my next BFB before the end of October but that depends on how my pre-wedding nerves get to me and I still have to write my father of the bride speech yet.

Best wishes for a happy day! I'm sure it will all be allright on the day.

>97 MissWatson:, Thank you Miss Watson.

Back onto the BFB's again although this one only just qualifies, On Secret Service by John Jakes, 606 pages.

I am halfway through my latest BFB and thoroughly enjoying it although that is no surprise as I love John Jakes books anyway.

I finished On Secret Service by John Jakes this afternoon, another 614 pages under the belt. I will be starting Word of Honour by Nelson De Mille, 752 pages tonight. I will definitely complete 25 BFB's for the year but may be able to up this to 27 if I can keep my reading rate up.

Wow, 25 BFBs. That is so impressive.

>102 MissWatson:, Thanks Miss Watson.

Just over 200 hundred pages to go before I finish my latest BFB, Word of Honour, hopefully it will be finished by the end of the weekend. Not sure what my next BFB will be but three more to finish this reading cycle.

Good to combine reading and exercise with the reading cycle mate !

Finished my latest BFB, Word of Honour by Nelson De Mille, 752 pages. The next BFB off the rank is The Aquitaine Progression by Robert Ludlum, 847 pages.

I am enjoying my latest BFB so much that I am already a fifth of the way through and could be a quarter of the way through by the time I turn my bedside light off tonight.

Finished my latest BFB this afternoon, The Aquitaine Progression by Robert Ludlum, 847 pages. The next BFB off the rank is When Christ and his Saints Slept by Sharon Penman, 905 pages.

Finished my latest BFB, When Christ and his Saints Slept by Sharon Penman, 904 pages. The next off the rank is Spangle by Gary Jennings, 1,276 pages. This may be my last BFB of the year depending how long it takes me as when it is finished I start my next book cycle which will mean I have to read five books before the BFB's begin again. If Spangle is my last of the year then 25 is not a bad effort but short on the 35 I had hoped for.

I am halfway through Spangle and I may have time for another BFB if I am lucky.

I think 25 is a heroic number of BFBs. I have sadly been lured away by much shorter books.

I finished my latest BFB this afternoon, Spangle by Gary Jennings, 1276 pages. This is my 25th and last BFB of 2015 as time will not allow me to read another. It has been a good reading year for me but sadly we have failed to reach 100 BFB's for the year. I don't think I will read as many next year.

>112 johnsimpson: That is an amazing number of BFBs, congratulations!

>113 MissWatson:, Thank you Miss Watson.

Well done mate, have a great Christmas !

>115 bryanoz:, Cheers Bryan and same to you mate.

The new BFB challenge group is set up just go to groups to find it.