The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

25.6 - Nick KY’s Task: Fire and Ice

In some mythologies, worldwide, but especially in northern Europe, the meeting of Fire and Ice is the primal, violent, essential, and magical! action for creative endeavors of any kind. The Vermillion Bird of Summer coming along in Winter, as it does in this Challenge, reminds me of this meeting of Fire and Ice. Read two books, one from each of two different options.

Option 1. Read any book with the word “Fire” in the title or subtitle. It may be a part of a larger word such as “Wildfire” or “Firestarter.”

Option 2. Read a book with any type of fire on the cover, EXCEPT -- do not use stars or the sun.

Option 3. Celebrate the Orange of Fire by reading an Orange Prize winner from any year or a 2012 nominee for the Orange Prize. These listopias may help: Orange Broadband Prize Winners, Orange Prize Longlist 2012. The Award appears to be changing its name next year, so let’s celebrate Orange while we can.

Option 4. Read a nonfiction book which deals with Hockey (the Ice kind), or a fiction book in which a main character plays Hockey.

Option 5. Read a book with ice or snow on the cover.

Option 6. Ice and Ire – I’m not sure if these island countries are the meeting place of Fire and Ice or not, but there is something magical about them. Read any book set in either Iceland or Ireland.

REQUIRED: State which Options you choose. For Options 2 and 5 give a link to the cover. Have a magical Winter!

Approved Books.

Option 1. Fire And Ice, Catching Fire

Option 2.

Option 3. The Tiger's Wife

Option 5. and a whole bunch of children's books in message # 9.

Option 6. P.S. I Love You

Not Approved.

shows the sun and, though it shows smoke, does not show the actual fire. So it's not approved for Option 2.

Likewise will not work for Option 2 because it shows smoke, but no fire.

will not work for Option 1 because a series title will not work according to the general rules.

This thread is now open!

Oh, I like this task! Now to decide on books as I have ideas for most of the options.

Fire And Ice - Dana Stabenow for Option 1?

The Tiger's Wife - Téa Obreht for Option 3?

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "Fire And Ice - Dana Stabenow for Option 1?

The Tiger's Wife - Téa Obreht for Option 3?"

Looks good!

Brillant, thanks x

I hoping to use several children's books to fill option 5 and I wanted to get them approved before I post for points.

I want to use the following:

(if you look at the big cover, you can see snow falling) and (there are snowflakes falling at the top)

If you hadn't pointed out the "LlamaLlama" cover snow I probably wouldn't have seen it, but it works. They all look snowy to me.

Nick - Do you think these covers have fire? I'm really not sure!

- I think this dragon is breathing fire.
- Is that fire in the background? There seems to be smoke in the cover so that's why I'm not sure.
- I guess that could be fire but maybe not.

Option 2 - Fire on cover :
Option 5 - Snow on cover:

Are those ok?

Nick wrote: "If you hadn't pointed out the "LlamaLlama" cover snow I probably wouldn't have seen it, but it works. They all look snowy to me."

Thanks Nick!

D.G. ~Shameless Hussy~ wrote: "Nick - Do you think these covers have fire? I'm really not sure!

- I think this dragon is breathing fire.
- Is that fire ..."

D.G.

looks like the dragon is breathing fire so it's OK.


looks like fire to me so it's OK.

shows what I think is the sun. There's smoke, it's true, but I'm not convinced of fire, so I'll have to go by the letter of my "law" here and say that it won't do.

Vi wrote: "Option 2 - Fire on cover :
Option 5 - Snow on cover:

Are those ok?"

Yes, both are OK.

Nick wrote: "D.G. ~Shameless Hussy~ wrote: "Nick - Do you think these covers have fire? I'm really not sure!

- I think this dragon is breathing fire.
[bookcover:Aft..."

Awesome, Nick. Thanks! 2 out of 3 is not too bad! ;)

I'm reading the 2nd in the Fire & Ice series. I was wondering if this counted. At first I thought it would, but in reading through all the rules again, I think series subtitles are excluded? Your input would be appreciated :)

A Clash of Kings

Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading the 2nd in the Fire & Ice series. I was wondering if this counted. At first I thought it would, but in reading through all the rules again, I think series subtitles are excluded? Your i..."

Ooooooh, sorry. (cringe) According to the general rules, series titles are excluded unless specifically allowed by the task creator. I only allowed for titles and subtitles, fitting the pattern of the general rules, so a series title will not work.

Nick wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading the 2nd in the Fire & Ice series. I was wondering if this counted. At first I thought it would, but in reading through all the rules again, I think series subtitles are..."

No problem. Thank you :)

For Option 5 would a snowflake work?
For example
Thanks:)

Keltie Lee wrote: "For Option 5 would a snowflake work?
For example
Thanks:)"

Looks like snow to me. It works.

I'm going to read Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Option 1) and P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern (Option 6).

Claire wrote: "I'm going to read Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Option 1) and P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern (Option 6)."

I'm guessing that since Cecelia Ahern is Irish and, accocrding to her GR homepage, P.S. I Love You was on the Ireland topseller charts for 19 weeks, that means it takes place in Ireland. Therefore it's good to go, as is Catching Fire for Option 1.

does work for option 2 (fire)

Robin wrote: "does work for option 2 (fire)"

There's an old saying, "Where there's smoke, there's fire." Unfortunately my task request was for a picture of fire, not smoke. I had to say "No" to a similar request earlier, so I'll have to say "No" to this one also, since there's a lot of smoke, but no pictured fire.

Thanks and that's okay that you had to say no. Just means I'll get to read another book off of my to read list. I'll try to fit this elsewhere.

Would this one work? The Wish List

Robin wrote: "Would this one work? The Wish List"

I definitely see flames on that one. It works.

Would this work for Option 2?

Andrea wrote: "Would this work for Option 2? "

I suppose the question is, "Is that Fire behind her, or some sort of Magic-induced energy?" But I think that even if it were "energy" that the energy would consist of something very much like fire complete with flames -- which I see. So it works.

Nick wrote: " A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) will not work for Option 1 because a series title will not work according to the general rules. "

Nick - I know you said the book above wouldn't work because the word 'fire' was in the series title. What about books that have the series info as the subtitle? For instance, I'm reading Scorched Skies and the cover says 'A Fire Spirits Novel'. Could I use this book for Option 1? Or does this considered as series info?

D.G. ~Shameless Hussy~ wrote: "Nick wrote: " A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) will not work for Option 1 because a series title will not work according to the general rules. "

Nick - I know you said the book above ..."

D.G.,

I think your question is: Do we consider "A Fire Spirits Novel" a subtitle since it is printed on the cover in a way that looks like it might be a subtitle?

I'm afraid I have to defer to the folder "Rules of the Challenge: Effective Winter 2012" Under the subheading of "Task Requirements" Rule # 1 states:

"1. For tasks that require a word in a title, only the title and the subtitle may be used. Series subtitles will NOT apply ex. "a novel of Series name", "A Series name book", "Book # of Series name", etc.. Task creators may allow series subtitles if explicitly included in the task description."

Since I did not specifically allow series subtitles, and since the example "A Series name book" is given as unacceptable I really can't go against the moderators' rules here.

I'm sorry, but I'm sure you can find somewhere else to fit these great books in.

No problem, Nick. :) I thought that would be the answer but I figured I should check just in case!

Would work for Option 5 - snow on the cover?

Sandra wrote: "Would work for Option 5 - snow on the cover?"

I think that is snow or ice on the cover, so I'll say "Yes."

Hi Nick

Does this work for option 5 (snow)? I am pretty sure the layer of stuff at the bottom is snow but it looks like an artistic rendering of it (with the shape/crystals delineated):

Does this one work for snow?

Thanks!

#36 -- mstan -- Yes!

#37 -- Jayme VA -- Yes!

They both have snow on the cover.

- Nick can i get a rulingn on this - it looks like there might be flames up in the upper left-hand cover on the branches

Dee wrote: " - Nick can i get a rulingn on this - it looks like there might be flames up in the upper left-hand cover on the branches"

Yeah, this one's tricky. It's more than just smoke, though, so I'll say it's flame and it counts.

thanks! I was hoping you would say that ;)