Flights of Fantasy discussion

Continuing with our "Sliding in 2019 all cool like" feels, we're getting the nominations and polls over with EARLY this time. ;-)

February 2019's Theme: Non-Human Main Characters!

In order for your nomination to be valid, there MUST be a non-human main character.

Poll is UP! - https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Nomination Requirements:
-Must have a Non-human MC
-Must be either a standalone, 1st in a series or a series THIS GROUP has already started
-Can be SF, Fantasy, Horror, YA/MG
-Must be available in formats that all members can access

Nominations start now and close 14-Jan-2019 at 3PM EST (eastern standard time).

Nomination Rules:
1) No self-nomination or self-interest nominations (this includes publisher accounts as well as author accounts)
2) No inviting friends or followers or fans to the group to nominate or vote in the poll
3) Mods will validate nominations and results and will announce when validated by broadcast. Any suspicious looking noms or votes will not be counted
4) When nominating a book for a theme, you must include WHY your nomination fits the monthly theme
5) You are REQUIRED to link to the book, using words, and NOT the cover image. This is so all members, including those using the app, can actually read the nominations.

Please NOTE: If anyone is caught inviting friends to order to rig the vote, then it will result in an automatic kickban for all parties.

I nominate XOM-B by Jeremy Robinson.

I read this book last year and it was not anything that I had expected to read. It is one of the best dystopian zombie stories I have ever read. It is not a gorefest and non-stop blur of action.

It is an awesome story about living in a dystopian world and what it means to be human.

I'll nominate The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French.

It's about a mercenary band of Half-orcs.

Another good book. =D

Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant

These look good!

I am still digging through my shelves to see what I have.

Denae wrote: "Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant"

Hey Denae, could you add why your book is eligible for this theme, please? :-D

I'm going to nominate A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans. It's an MG book recently recommended in another group, where a dragon inherits a new pet human - even though the human thinks she's the one in charge! ^_^

War Unicorn: The Ring, by S. L. Carlson. Who doesn’t love unicorns, even if they’re cavalry-trained, 300-years old, and rather rude?

War Unicorn: The Ring is upper MG/lower YA, and first in a series.

I want to nominate: Grendel by John Gardner

The first and most terrifying monster in English literature, from the great early epic Beowulf, tells his side of the story...

MrsJoseph wrote: "Denae wrote: "Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant"

Hey Denae, could you add why your book is eligible for this theme, please? :-D"

The main characters are the mermaids. Ariel they are not.

Denae wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "Denae wrote: "Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant"

Hey Denae, could you add why your book is eligible for this theme, please? :-D"

The main charac..."


:-D

Thinking about what you told me.

Becky wrote: "I want to nominate: Grendel by John Gardner

The first and most terrifying monster in English literature, from the great early epic Beowulf, tells his side of the story..."

Did not know this even existed

Ok. After much digging around shelves, I nominate Rejoice, a Knife to the Heart by Steven Erikson.

Rejoice, a Knife to the Heart is Erikson's (Malazan) take on the First Contact story.

MrsJoseph wrote: "Continuing with our "Sliding in 2019 all cool like" feels, we're getting the nominations and polls over with EARLY this time. ;-)

February 2019's Theme: Non-Human Main Characters!

In order for yo..."

Do were-creatures count? Since they are hybrid humans?

Michael wrote: "Do were-creatures count? Since they are hybrid humans? "

Hi Michael!

Sorry for the delay in answer. In short, No.

In long: We are looking, specifically, for a uniquely non-human perspective in the main character. A shifter gets to be something other than human for a period of time but can (if it so chooses) to be human the other period of time.

I nominate The Golem and the Jinni.

Reasons I offer to the group:
1. It has not one, but two non-human main characters.
2. it was recommended by a similarly minded group.

Reasons I offer to myself:
3. It has been on my TBR for four years now, and this just might motivate me to read it finally. :)

I thought about nominating that one, Nyssa!

Sandy, your nomination is disqualified as it breaks rules #1 and #5. The nomination rules are in the first post. Did you even bother to read them?

Except the Queen by Jane Yolen

Many points of view, all of the -- ehem -- Good Folk.

The Finest Creation by Jean Rabe

This is a book is the first of a fantasy trilogy. It features a horse (or more accurately, a being that takes the form of a horse) as the main character

Rolling in the Deep is a **fantastic** story, but the MCs are all humans that meet these mermaids; it's not primarily from the mermaids' POV. Sorry to be a bummer.

Michelle wrote: "Rolling in the Deep is a **fantastic** story, but the MCs are all humans that meet these mermaids; it's not primarily from the mermaids' POV. Sorry to be a bummer."

Which of the transient characters would you call the main character? What requirement is there that it be from their POV?

Poll is UP!

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Finest Creation sounds like the Companions in Mercedes Lackey's series. Hmmmm. Same or just similar?

Soo wrote: "Finest Creation sounds like the Companions in Mercedes Lackey's series. Hmmmm. Same or just similar?"

Looks totally inspired by. From the blurb:

The Finest Series combines elements of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series with C.S.Lewis's Narnia for an inspiring tale of mystical intrigue and the crucible of morality for mankind.

Ah. Didn't get that far in blurb. May check it out. =)

Great nomimations list! Makes it hard to pick.

Winning Announcement:

The February 2019 Non-Human Main Character BotM is be The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker!

I'll send out a group email a bit later today.

Yay.

I see "cheating" is discouraged since the thread won't open until the first. :)
But I may start it early (this coming weekend) anyway, to ensure that I have enough time.

Nyssa wrote: "Yay.

I see "cheating" is discouraged since the thread won't open until the first. :)
But I may start it early (this coming weekend) anyway, to ensure that I have enough time."

lol!

I didn't think of it that way, tbh. I was more thinking I didn't want people to feel pressured into posting there now.

Sweet! I already have that one. :D

Me, too!

Meh.

colleen the convivial curmudgeon wrote: "Meh."

This made me lol.

lol