BJ's 2016 TBR Challenge

Here is my primary list for 2016:
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling. (2016) (Read April)
2. Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis. (2016) (Read January)
3. Very Good, Jeeves! by P. G. Wodehouse. (2016) (Read March)
4. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher. (2016) (Read May)
5. The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke. (2016) (Read August)
6. Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith. (2016) (Read May)
7. The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King. (2016) (Read May)
8. Silver Branch by Rosemary Sutcliff. (2016) (Read June)
9. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. (2016) (Read April)
10. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett. (2016) (Read February)
11. Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho. (2016) (Read January)
12. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. (2016) (Read July)

Here is my alternate list for 2016:
1. Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. (2016) (Read January)
2. The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence G. Lovasik. (2016) (Read January)
3. A Mercy by Toni Morrison. (2016) (Read May)
4. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. (2016)(Read April)
5. Troubling a Star by Madeleine L'Engle. (2016) (Read March)
6. Blankets by Craig Thompson. (2016) (Read February)
7. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. (2016) (Read September)
8. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. (2014) (Read February)
9. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. (2013) (Read April)
10. Neuromancer by William Gibson. (2011) (Read September)
11. The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster. (2010) (Read August)
12. On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. (2008) (Read June)

I have 5 books from previous lists that did not get read returning to this list. The Darwin book was on my very first list, so I really, really need to get it read this year.

I'm so glad to finally have my lists in print so I will stop tinkering with them. I had some moments of weakness looking at everyone else's lists, but I stayed with my final version.

I'm planning to start off the year with Les Mis, in hopes of finally getting it done! I've "scheduled" it into 3 months and I intend to meet that! Of course I will be reading other things alongside it. :)

Roger Ackroyd is Christie's best, I do believe, enjoy!

>1 billiejean:

I have a Stephen King on my lists this year, too (From a Buick 8). Drawing of the Three is probably my favorite book in the Dark Tower series - hope you enjoy it as much as I did. C.S. Lewis is always a good choice. I have heard good things about many of the titles on your lists, and am especially interested in hearing your thoughts on the McCarthy, Cline, Díaz, and Gibson books.

Good luck and happy reading! :)

Thanks for the input. Y'all have me excited about my year of reading. I was telling my kids that my list is in print and set for the year. Then I started to have doubts, that maybe I should have changed a few out. But y'all make me think that my list is a good one.

I will probably read Les Mis towards the beginning of the year. In all honesty, I started the book this year, but I was not able to finish it. So I'm listing it again, even though I have a head start.

I'm glad to hear that Drawing of the Three is a great read. I liked the first book pretty well, although it was somewhat uneven. My daughter is almost finished with the series. And, as you know, I love the Cormac McCarthy books.

Great list! You can never go wrong with a Jeeves book on a list. Excited to see The Murder of Roger Ackroyd on there as well as it's one of my favorite Christie novels.

Curious what you think of The New York Trilogy as apparently it's on my wishlist. Somebody must have recommended it at one point.

Great lists! I particularly like the alternate list. Agatha Christie is one of my favorite authors to read on vacation, I always take one of her books along in case of rainy day.

I'm glad to know that a lot of people love Agatha Christie. I inherited a few of her books from my grandma but I haven't read any yet. I'm not a crime/mystery reader but I think I will have to give it a shot.

I used to read Agatha Christie all the time with my mom growing up. She and my brother read Rex Stout. So I've been in the mood to revisit the Christie books and check out the Rex Stout books, too. I know I can get a lot of them from used book stores, but there is no room for more books. Still tempted, though.

I'm currently rereading all of Christie's books in order and have been averaging about 5 per year. I tend to pick them up when I need something comforting or as a "palate cleanser" after a more serious read.

>9 simple_kind: I tend to be very selective when I read mysteries, and don't read them very often. British authors are usually the ones that make the cut for me. I prefer mysteries with very strong, unique characters, rather than ones that are purely plot-driven.

I read an Agatha Christie book last year that I just found laying around the bookcase (on the floor). Reading them in order is a good idea, though. I like good characters, too. Although I can enjoy detailed plot points, as well.

Happy New Year, everyone! I can't wait to get started!

I read my first book, which was a quick read. I read Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. This was a lovely gem of a book about Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity. There were lots of photos in black and white.

That was an alternate list book. I'm thinking of Les Mis and On the Origin of Species, both also on the alternate list. Maybe I made the lists backwards. :)

Personally I don't consider a "primary" and "alternate" list, I just make a list of 24 and aim to read them all. :)

I guess I kind of look at it that way, too. Since I keep picking up books from whatever list strikes me.

I am still reading Les Mis. I also picked up Veronika Decides to Die and The Hidden Power of Kindness. I've looked over at On the Origin of Species, but I haven't picked it up yet. This must be the year for that one.

I do tend to distinguish the two lists. Primary is like "do or die", alternate is like "if I can squeeze them in". Well, maybe not that drastic re primary, but that's the general idea. I'm more forgiving of myself if I have remainders in my alternates at year end.

I've started Voyage of the Beagle and ... I think maybe I picked the wrong Darwin title. Work, work, work.

I do make an alternate list, but during the year, I pick up the books that are calling to me at that moment, irregardless of which list they are on. I have yet to read all 24 from both lists, I usually get sidetracked by book club selections and spur of the moment reads.

I've decided to try to do one from each per month but we'll see how long that lasts!

One from each list per month seems like a good plan. When I made my primary list, I put all the books that are part of a series on it, but sometimes I'm not in the mood for that.

I've read two books. Veronika Decides to Die: A Novel of Redemption by Paulo Coelho is about a young woman from Slovenia who attempts suicide at the beginning of the book. While waiting to die, she reads an article in a magazine that starts out "Who knows where Slovenia is?" This kind of ticks her off, and she writes a reply. She wakes up in the hospital ward of a mental hospital, where people think she has attempted suicide because the author of the article made fun of Slovenia. The novel is about her time in the hospital. This type of book is not really my thing, but I did think it was pretty good. I didn't like it as well as The Alchemist, but I can see why he wrote it. This book was not a series book, but just a follow up of an author I had enjoyed before.

I also read The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence G. Lovasik, which was a complete description of how we can be kind at all times. I think I have some work to do. :)

Sounds like a couple of feel-good reads (despite the suicide attempt). I've learned the value of starting the year with something light.

Some years I've taken the "one from each list per month" approach. This year I've less confidence I'll get all 24 done, so I'll probably go heavier on the primaries.

I'm about halfway through The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and almost a quarter of the way through On the Origin of Species and still reading along on Les Miserables. And looking at what to read next. :) My husband asked me why I read so many at the same time, when I really want to finish Les Mis. I didn't have an answer to that.

Thursday, we are going to Honduras to see our daughter. I can't wait! See y'all when I return.

I like the Dawn Treader story (although my favourite Narnia will always be A Horse and His Boy), even if it does just amount to a series of episodes it's maybe the most adventure oriented. I've shelved Darwin for now, too many good titles distracting me. I read multiple titles at once for the same reason I rotate in taking bites from multiple things on my dinner plate rather than sequentially finish them: the magic is in the medley and makes the whole meal more enjoyable.

Enjoy your trip to Honduras!

I am definitely a one-book-at-a-time gal, for the most part, but I admire those who can juggle multiple titles at the same time.

I had a wonderful time in Honduras! Lots of good food and nice people there.

I finished Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It was a series of events, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.

I am about 200 pages from the end of Les Miserables. I definitely want to finish it this month. I am hoping to get halfway through Darwin this month. Biology is a bit slow-going for me, but I am doing better than the last time I tried to read it.

I am thinking about starting Very Good, Jeeves or Blankets.

The movie version of the Voyage is pretty good, and apparently they're going to do The Silver Chair too.

Les Mis has lots of action through its closing chapters, so that should help. My Darwin is getting seriously deferred, I'll probably finish all of Millenium first before I pick him up again on the pretext of reading one non-fiction at a time. But really, I just can't get into it.

A Jeeves book will be the perfect way to cleanse the palate after finishing Les Mis. Good luck with the final push!

Tackling Les Mis and Darwin at the same time is quite impressive. Jeeves sound like the perfect follow-up for a change of pace.

I did not realize that there is another Narnia movie in the works. I did see the Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie, but I couldn't remember it that clearly when reading the book.

I am only reading the Darwin book slowly. I definitely want to finish it, however, as it was on my 2008 list!

I read Blankets by Craig Thompson, but did not like it at all. I guess graphic novels are really not my thing. I probably won't tackle another for a while.

I was looking at my Jeeves book, but switched to The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett. This book is hilarious, so I'm glad to have a fun book to read. I ordered the sequel on my kindle.

For some reason, the touchstones are not working, but I think they are working in my lists at the top.

I won't get to The Colour of Magic for a while yet, but I'm looking forward to it. That's another one I intend to read "on the side" that might take over.

I am glad that I am enjoying the Discworld book. I had heard that it was not that good, but that the series improved as it went along. However, I like what I am reading so far. I wish I had read it a long time ago.

>31 billiejean: It's a great series. I'm glad it's found another fan :) I caught The Color of Magic in a Daily Deal on Amazon as it's one I haven't read yet either. I'm glad to hear a positive response about it!

Can you believe that there are 40 books in the series? I will be reading for a while.

Ooh, I have Color of Magic on my TBR list - happy to see it's worth reading.

I finally finished Les Miserables, and it is one of the best books that I have ever read. It was long but totally worth it. I also read Troubling a Star by Madeleine L'Engle, and I enjoyed that one as well. I am at a total standstill on the Darwin book. I will get back at it (I hope) after I get back in town.

I have started Very Good, Jeeves which is hilarious and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I am finally to the last HP book. I wanted to finished Les Mis before starting another long one, but I can tell HP will go much faster.

I just started re-reading Harry Potter. I picked them up again because my 8 year old has started reading the series. I'm reading them at the same pace she is, it is so much fun to discuss the books with a child discovering them for the first time! However, I don't see her reading books 5-7 anytime soon.

Les Mis is one of my favorites, and was the first musical I ever saw. I'm glad you loved it so much!

>35 billiejean:, so that was you finishing Les Mis, I thought it was an earthquake. Congratulations!

I think the HP series is definitely re-read worthy, assuming I ever reach a stage where I can ignore my TBR pile long enough not to get antsy about it. Might be a few years yet. Although reading them to my kids would be an awesome workaround.

There were moments when I did not think I would finish Les Mis. But that book was totally worth it. And the sewer parts were not that scary after all.

I have been out of town and have not gotten any reading on my tbr books done. I am 2/3 of the way through Very Good, Jeeves! It is wonderful. Why had I never read these before? And I haven't read any more of HP. I guess I am the last person on the planet to read this series.

I'm already trying to decide on my next book. Maybe Morality for Beautiful Girls or The Chrysalids.

The Chrysalids I can vouch for, we studied that in tenth grade and I thought it was a cool idea. After that I read about The Midwich Cuckoos, but I've never gotten around to the Triffids.

So we are reading the books in reverse order! I read Triffids first, because I remembered seeing the movie on tv as a kid. I liked it, even though it had it's issues. Then I read Midwich Cuckoos last year. This is my last Wyndham book that I own.

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which was outstanding. J. K. Rowling really ended the series on a high note, I thought. I also finished Very Good, Jeeves!, which was hilarious. I have become quite a fan of P. G. Wodehouse. What took me so long? I have also read The Chrysalids which was another creepy book by John Wyndham and another great read. How lucky I have been lately. :) I think I will reread The Day of the Triffids since I have been enjoying the Wyndham books so much.

I have started two books on my alternate list. First, I started The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz from my 2013 list on which I did so badly. Second, I started The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. I used to read Agatha Christie back in the day, but I can't recollect if I have ever read this one.

I'm still nowhere on the Darwin book. I keep saying just a few chapters a month, but somehow I never get to them. I am rededicating myself in May. (Notice I did not say today.) And just to be totally crazy, I am thinking about my list for next year. Finishing the HP series gives me an opening on that list.

You've reached the end of Harry Potter's seven novels just in time for the new play - good timing!

If you don't remember whether you've read the Roger Ackroyd mystery, then I can pretty much guarantee that you haven't.

I'm getting no where very fast with Darwin either. I've already slotted a spot for him in 2017 in case he wins our duel, so we can be totally crazy together.

If I finish On the Origin of Species, I'm considering Voyage of the HMS Beagle for next year. But could I possibly read him two years in a row?

And you are making me excited about the mystery now!

>42 Cecrow: - If you don't remember whether you've read the Roger Ackroyd mystery, then I can pretty much guarantee that you haven't. - Agreed!

Also agreed! That is one of her most excellent. :)

I finished The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, which was great fun. I think I will read another by her next year. I have one around here somewhere. I also finished The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz which turned out to be an amazing read. I had a bit of a warming up period to it as the language put me off at first, but this was a wonderful story about a family from the Dominican Republic and then New Jersey. This could be one of my top reads this year. I should have known since it won so many awards.

I read a chapter of On the Origin of Species. The next chapter is a little shorter, so maybe I can read it sometime soon. I am about a quarter of the way through, which puts me behind for the year.

I have also started The Drawing of the Three: Dark Tower II by Stephen King. This is a quick read, and I like it so far. And I have just barely started Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith, the next installment in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I started this one for a complete change from the Dark Tower book in case it got too scary for me. :)

>46 billiejean: I was thinking about putting a few of AC's Poirot books on my list for next year. I have read almost all of the Miss Marple's, but only one Poirot.

I keep meaning to read The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

You have made a lot of progress on your list so far this year! I'm not as far along as I was hoping to be at this point.

>46 billiejean:, Darwin notwithstanding, you're ahead of the pace again I see!

>47 abergsman:, for Poirot I'd first suggest the Roger Ackroyd mystery or Murder on the Orient Express, but there's many other good ones.

>48 Cecrow: Murder on the Orient Express is the one that I have read! :-) Actually, I plan on reading the Poirot's in order of publication, at some point. So, starting with The Mysterious Affair at Styles and ending with Curtain.

That's a good idea to read in order. I was just going with what I have on hand. I remember the ending to Murder on the Orient Express. It's unforgettable. I'm starting to collect Nero Wolfe Kindle books. I have never read any Rex Stout; although, I remember that my mom and brother read them all back in the 70s.

I am reading somewhat better this year. And I really want to whittle down those books from past lists. Of course, the Darwin book is the oldest! From 2008! I am almost halfway through it. Some parts capture my interest. Others are just snooze city. And I have 2 other Darwin books around here.

I finished two books for May, Stephen Kings Drawing of the Three: The Dark Tower II and Alexander McCall Smith's Morality for Beautiful Girls. I was going for major contrast between Roland and Precious Ramotswe (I can't recall how to spell that). And I loved them both. I am kind of hot and cold on King, but this book I could not put down. And The Number One Ladies Detective Agency books are polar opposite, but also enjoyable.

I have started Summer Knight by Jim Butcher. I read one Dresden book a year, and they are great fun.

And there's always On the Origin of Species staring at me feeling ignored.

I think that the Oscar Wao book is definitely worth reading.

I've been rereading all of Christie in order over the last few years and still have quite a few to go. Sort of envious that you'll be reading some of these for the first time.

>46 billiejean:
>50 billiejean:

Good news about Oscar Wao. I'm gonna try really really hard to get that on my Challenge lists for next year.

I had a feeling you'd like Drawing of the Three. I remember really falling in love with the characters and the way they interact with one another in that one. Top-shelf King, to be sure.

Wow, you're doing great on your challenge! You've read three times as many books as I have this year! Feeling a little jealous here! ;)

>51 LittleTaiko: I can't really remember which ones I have read and which I haven't, because I read them all so very long ago. I did think that Murder on the Orient Express was impossible to forget, however. I would read them in order if I had all of them, but I only have a few. I guess I could check out what the library has, though. I do have a list of all the books.

>52 artturnerjr: (Possible spoiler) My daughter, who has read all of the Dark Tower books, told me that the characters would be around, so I'm happy about that. The characters really made the book. Thanks for such kind words about my challenge. Some of the books aren't too long, though. I had a couple of really bad reading years, so I'm feeling like reading these days. That plus turning off the tv. :)

>53 billiejean:

I had a couple of really bad reading years, so I'm feeling like reading these days. That plus turning off the tv. :)

Well, good for you. :)

The TV is hardly ever on at my place, either. And my daughter is (seemingly) always on my laptop, so I have been spending less time jacking around on LT, etc., and more time actually reading!

>54 artturnerjr: We don't have cable, and hardly ever have the TV on as well (although it is used a bit more in the winter time when the weather is dreary).

I saw a statistic just yesterday that kids aged 8-13 spend an average of 5.5 hours/day watching TV or using other electronic devices. Not including what they do at school (our daughter's school is big on technology). That sounds so high to me, but then computer/ipad/iphone use can add up so quickly, especially when kids are sneaky about it, lol. My daughter watches very little TV, but I do occasionally find her playing Temple Run and other types of games when I thought she was doing something else. We try to keep electronics out of the bedroom, but when it also doubles as the source of her alarm clock, it doesn't always work out that way!

In addition to giving up the tv, I'm also giving up almost everything I like to eat. This is harder than the tv.

I finished Summer Knight by Jim Butcher and A Mercy by Toni Morrison, both of which were terrific reads, although completely different.

I really enjoy the fun of the Dresden books and there seem to be lots of them. I have three more in my tbr. Not serious, just fun. The back cover says it's Harry Potter for grownups.

I had only previously read one Toni Morrison book Beloved, which I read because both of my girls read it in high school. That was an all-time favorite. A Mercy was much shorter, but still full of characters and story. Not as great as Beloved, but still a really good read.

I am, at last, halfway through On the Origin of Species by Darwin. The chapters have gotten a little shorter. I remain cautiously optimistic that maybe I can finish it. It is interesting, at times.

I hear good things about Dresden all the time. I can never quite bring myself to read Toni Morrison, but maybe someday. You're ahead of me for Darwin, I think I'm at about a quarter. Hopefully my chapters get shorter too, that would be something.

>56 billiejean: I have read The Bluest Eye and Song of Solomon, but not Beloved. I keep meaning to come back to Toni Morrison, and I have never actually heard of A Mercy. She really should make it on to my list one of these years.

I originally bought Beloved when it first came out. But then I read what it was about, and I could not bring myself to read it. I had small children at the time. So, if my girls had not read it in school, I probably would never have picked it up again. I'm glad that I did; she is a great writer. A Mercy is, I think, her latest book or one of the more recent ones. I have a few other of her books around the house. But I don't know where they are. I'm working on reducing my number of books. Then, maybe I'll find them. :)

The Darwin is not my favorite, but some of the chapters are more interesting than others. I have to make myself choose it over the other books though. Which is why it has been on my list since 2008.

I'm about halfway through The Silver Branch, and it is a great read. I think I am becoming a Rosemary Sutcliff fan.

I finished The Silver Branch, which was a really great read. One more book left in the trilogy. I'm sure to put it on next year's list.

I'm still plugging along with Darwin. The next chapter is longer, so I don't think I will finish this month as I had hoped.

And I forgot to mention that I started Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. I'm just at the very beginning, but I have read some good reviews.

I finally finished On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. It was fairly interesting, although a rather slow read. This is the last book from my 2008 TBR list to be read. What a relief! An interesting tidbit: Darwin speculated or posited that a whirlwind in India caught up some fish from one river in India and deposited them in another river. All I could think of was that at last we have proof of the sharknado!

Wow - you beat Darwin! I'm in suspense to see if I can do it by December.

May we never witness the awesome power of the sharknado.

Congratulations on finally finishing the Darwin! And good luck with Blood Meridian - I am told it is a difficult novel, in more ways than one (but an excellent one - Stephen King has named it as one of his very favorite books of all time*, so I really need to get to it at some point, for that reason if for no other).

* http://www.openculture.com/2014/11/stephen-kings-top-10-all-time-favorite-books....

I have an omnibus of Origin of Species/Voyage of the Beagle that I've not yet attempted to tackle (they'll probably end up on my list some day, hahaha), but at this year's Boekenfestijn I picked up Charles Darwin's On the origin of species : a graphic adaptation, which looks really nicely done and to cover the highlights without all the tons of detail. So I'm planning to read that first, and then hopefully having been familiar with the condensed version, it'll make the full thing a little lighter...maybe. XD From the University of Chicago sale at the beginning of the year though I also got Darwin's sacred cause : how a hatred of slavery shaped Darwin's view on human evolution, so then I'm not sure if I should have read his works before reading the work about him and his work, or if I should read it first and go into them already more familiar, like my plan with the illustrated one. Such conundrums! Hahaha

I couldn't tackle both books (Origin and Beagle) at the same time. I think a graphic novel could be a good choice; although, I don't really care for that format. My book did have illustrations and a glossary. The one thing that entranced me was the description of the flight of the tumbler pigeon. I do want to see that. But not the sharknado, except on tv.

I'm only at the very beginning of Blood Meridian (which refers to the sunset). I definitely like the way Cormac McCarthy writes, but his books can be quite violent. I saw the movie The Road, and it was horrible to watch. Still considering whether or not I can read that book.

The only way I could finish Darwin was to read one chapter at a time. And not look ahead too much. Science is tough to read for me. But it was interesting, in small doses.

Congratulations on finishing Darwin. I know it's somewhere in my TBR pile, maybe someday I'll work up the nerve...

Thank you!

I'm about a third of the way through Blood Meridian. I think that I might try The New York Trilogy after that.

>66 billiejean:

Congrats on finishing Darwin!

Reading one chapter at a time...that's how I felt when I read Richard Dawkin's The Ancestor's Tale. I loved the material, but had to read it quite slowly, especially the later parts that were far-removed from my knowledge base.

Yes, biology is not my strong suit. It is interesting, however.

I have had lots of company and have been ignoring Blood Meridian. I hope to get back to it later today. I have really slowed down on my reading. But is was lots of fun spending so much time with my daughter and son-in-law.

I finished Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Violence follows the kid with no name. McCarthy is a great writer, and this is a pretty famous work; however, I liked the Border trilogy better.

And I forgot to mention that I think I will start the New York Trilogy next.

Paul Auster has had a few close encounters with my TBR pile, so I'm all ears on what you think of that one.

I used to know someone years ago who was a big Auster fan, so I've been meaning to read him for a long time. Interestingly, his name crops up right away in the first book of the trilogy. I seem to recall Coehlo's name appearing in his last book that I read.

I finally finished The New York Trilogy. Although the 1001 BYMRBYD book mentioned that it was published as detective fiction, it was definitely different. I think I could have used a group read on this one. I did think the stories improved as the trilogy went on.

I have started The Neon Rain, which I think is the first of the Dave Robicheaux series.

Sounds like the trilogy was worthwhile, I'll keep that one on the horizon.

I finished The Neon Rain. It was a great, fast read -- especially after NYT. I wonder what else by Auster I should look into. I have started Neuromancer, but I'm at the very beginning.

>77 billiejean:

Only two left to go! And it's still only August! Very impressive. 8)

Wow, you're gonna do it! And you're going to end with the novel I started with, lol

I hope that I do finish all of them. That would be for the first time ever. And I thought about how I will end with Ready Player One, with which you started Cecrow. I wanted to end with a really fun read. Usually I tend to end with one that I can't finish. I'm not exactly reading Neuromancer at the speed of light, but I think I will pick up the pace when I get a little more into it. Or I hope that I will.

I finished Neuromancer. I thought it was pretty good, although I did at times have a little difficulty visualizing things. It reminded me somewhat of The Matrix and Tron movies. I have started Ready Player One.

>81 billiejean:

Only one left! Excited?

It reminded me somewhat of The Matrix and Tron movies.

I have read that The Matrix was very influenced by Neuromancer. In fact, the term "Matrix" as it's used in the film is derived from Neuromancer:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix#Influences

I am excited! I hope I can finally finish the entire list for the first time ever.

Of course, the use of the term matrix was the first thing I noticed. Also, Zion and nicknames. And entering the matrix. I loved the movie The Matrix. I do think that I liked the movie better than this book, but it was a good read.

I'm impressed! I know I'll get through 12 but no way will I finish my TBR list. Too many new books to read in between lol

Ready Player One is NOT the kind of book that takes four months to read, so I'm feeling very confident for you! :)

James Joyce and Charles Darwin, on the other hand .... holey moley, what have I done.

>83 billiejean:

I loved the movie The Matrix.

Yeah, it's pretty great. A groundbreaking film in so many different ways.

Found a great quote from Joss Whedon on that film (here: https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/five-favorite-films-with-joss-whedo...:

It is storytelling that is so unexpected and brilliant as to seem inevitable, and that’s the best kind. I wanted to put down my pencil and back away until I learned how to write when I saw this movie. Structurally, it’s insanely sound. Everything that they’re doing is visually ecstatic, and philosophically it could be studied for centuries. It contains every aspect of modern life and religion and philosophy and knows it, and they’re doing something that is very deliberately very heady. But at the same time, when asked what is this movie about, their answer was “It’s about kung fu versus robots.” If it was just that, it would be on this list. But it’s that and everything else.

Definitely overdue for a rewatch.

PS If you're a Matrix fan, you should check out the movie version of V for Vendetta, which was also written and produced by the Wachowskis, if you haven't already. I think it might be only film version of an Alan Moore graphic novel that really works.

>84 Narilka: But this is my 9th year for the challenge and the first time that I might finish.
>85 Cecrow: James Joyce and Charles Darwin are definitely challenging. And I like the 80s, so Ready Player One should be fun.
>86 artturnerjr: Great quote! I did see V for Vendetta, but I prefer The Matrix.

>87 billiejean:

I did see V for Vendetta, but I prefer The Matrix.

Yeah, me too.

I'm about a third of the way through Ready Player One. It took me a away to get into this book, but I'm there now.

I finished Ready Player One. It was interesting to me that it referenced Neuromancer, which I just read. I thought it was pretty good, but I liked Neuromancer better.

This is the first time I have ever read all the main list and alternate list. It will probably never happen again.

Congrats! You did it!!

Thank you!

Fantastic - and never say never! I guess Ready Player One didn't bring back as many memories for you as it did for me, that's probably why I liked it so much. Your comment gets me looking forward to Neuromancer, though. I understand it will seem a bit dated and will need to be read in context of when it was first published, so I think I'll like it.

>90 billiejean:

Congratulations! 8)

Thank you, both!

I never was much for video games, but I was familiar with quite a bit of the movies and music. I can see where this would be a good book for a movie.

>90 billiejean: - Congratulations!!! I have a dream to accomplish that one year. This year is definitely not that year. :)

Thank you. And best of luck to you. I am putting too many long books on my list next year, so I know this is a one time thing.

I had a look at On the Origin of Species and I think it's even more dense and dry than the Voyages I keep whining about. So if you beat that already, then I don't think you'll have the same trouble with the Voyages that I do.

I hope that you are right. But it was a lot shorter. And it has been hanging around since 2008. Two years in a row might be optimistic.