The Official/unofficial SFF/SFFF-KIT Clean-up Reader's Choice Thread and Challenge for December 2016!

We've made it through eleven challenge months, and now it's time to either read that book that you didn't finish for one of the challenges, OR just pick a book that fits one month's challenge...or two...or...

Here is the list of 2016's monthly challenges:

January: Read a SFF that has been languishing on your shelves for a year or more - fuzzi
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/210795)

February: Read a SFF published in the last 5 years - 14sturlington
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/216818#)

March: Read a book set in an Alternate World...Alt history, fantasy world or future world - majkia
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/218467)

April: Read something from NPR's top 100 Sci/Fi Fantasy list (http://www.npr.org/2011/08/09/139248590/top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books) - Kristelh
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/220178)

May - Read a Space Opera - leslie.98
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/221244#)

June - Read a book with interesting cover art - mathgirl40
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/223363#)

July - Read a book with a story featuring change through transformation or adaptation - mamzel
(https://www.librarything.com/topic/225524#)

August - Start A Series or Continue A Series - DeltaQueen50
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/227000#)

September - International SFF: Read a book(s) written by non-US/UK authors - inge82
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/229179)

October - Retrofuturistic: Read a book in a steampunk, clockpunk, dieselpunk, etc...genre - jillbone
(no thread)

November - Read a book about time travel - LisaMorr
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/235830)

~~

Wiki is here:(http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/2016_Unofficial_SF/SFFKIT#January)

Let's go!

I am hoping to fit in The War With the Newts by Czech author Karel Capek. This would fit with the September topic of International SF/FF.

Since I didn't complete one for October, I'm going to be continuing (and finishing!) Queen Victoria's Book of Spells: an Anthology of Gaslamp Fantasy. I may end up reading another one also, but we'll see what happens :)

I am reading The Mists of Avalon which probably qualifies for several of the categories but I am counting it as something from the NPR's list (April).

>4 leslie.98: you just gave me an idea...

For December's challenge, see how many challenges you can qualify for WITH ONE BOOK.

Example: I am reading Moon of Three Rings, which will fit the challenges from June, July, and August.

>5 fuzzi:, >4 leslie.98: Great idea.

I'll be reading The Thousand Names which will fit January, February and March and July - at the very least. Possibly one other but that's not clear looking at the tags.

The War With the Newts will fit three months' categories - January, June and September. (And perhaps July as well)

Hey! Would Blade Runner fit the October challenge? What do you think?

I am reading Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny, it fits March Alternate World, April NPR 100, June Cover art, August Start a series,

>9 fuzzi: I don't see why not.

I finished Queen Victoria's Book of Spells: An Anthology of Gaslamp Fantasy edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, and there's a full review written that lists some of my favorite stories.

If I get to another SFFFcat read this month, I'll look forward to seeing how many months I can 'accomplish' with one book :) I didn't this time because, well, it's an anthology of more than a dozen stories, so I figured it would fit most without really being much of a challenge.

>11 majkia: thanks!

>10 Kristelh: I love the original Amber series.

I have completed War With the Newts by Karel Capek and this was a very unusual and interesting read. Originally published in 1936 it is a satire and during the course of 240 pages the author manages to skewer religion, politics (especially Germany's National Socialism) and even Hollywood!

I read Eye of Cat, and it fits January, June, and July challenges.

I finished Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood, which fits January, March, August and September challenges, as well as The Alchemist by Paolo Bacigalupi, which fits January, February and March challenges.

I finished Nine Princes in Amber and went on to read The Regional Office is Under Attack! by Manuel Gonzales. I did not realize this is a fantasy/science fiction/cyberpunk book with female super heroes until I started to read it. It is on the super, long NPR Best of 2016 list and on the long, long list of books considered for the Tournament of Books. And, it its February and March.

I read The Dying Earth which would fit March (future world) and July (change through adaptation).

I've just started Pandora's Star, starting a series, which fits August.

I just finished Blade Runner aka Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. It was quite different from the movie, but I did enjoy reading it, for the most part. It fit January, April, June, August, and October's challenges.

Now to find something less depressing to read...more Miles, perhaps?

I'm starting Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, which fits January (owned for more than a year), March (alternate world), April (NPR list), and August (series).

>20 Robertgreaves: but can you finish it in time?

>20 Robertgreaves: and I think if you don't finish it will work for January too.

>21 fuzzi: >22 Kristelh: I've got Christmas week off work and I'm not going home this year so hopefully I'm going to have lots of reading time. It's just the first book.

Finished Dancer's Lament by Ian C. Esslemont which I loved. Fits for Feb, Mar, Jun, July, Sep.

COMPLETED Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

>25 Robertgreaves: Well done!

>25 Robertgreaves: wow! Good job.

I bought the 2nd book in the series but I don't know when I'll get round to it. I've got a couple of other chunksters that need reading first.

Here's a link to the 2017 group:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/233035#5736488