The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

JANICE'S TASK - Fortune Telling Has Long Been A Halloween Tradition: Read A Book With "Fortune" Or "Prophecy" In The Title, That Features Fortune-Telling, Prophecy Or Prediction(s) As The Main Theme Or Has A Fortune Teller As A Main Character.

Any suggestions?! I'm drawing a blank ....

I would suggest the Wheel of Time series. The main character is the prophecied person.

Trying to remember if Hobbit has prophecies mixed in.

Not sure if Sleeping Beauty could count - prediction/curse 16th birthday, prick her finger.

DUNE is a definite PROPHECY - there will come a Messiah :P

Child of Prophecy by Juliet Marillier

Daughter of Fortune A Novel by Isabel Allende.

If you're at all interested in fantasy, The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling is fantastic, and hinges around a prophecy about a king's niece who is disguised as a boy by means of dark magic so that she can grow up to fulfill the prophecy without being endangered by her uncle. I'm tempted to do a reread for this one, but I'll probably go with the Allende.

Tanja wrote: "DUNE is a definite PROPHECY - there will come a Messiah :P "

I'd definitely like to know from Janice if Dune was okay.

What about the Gemma Doyle trilogy? Do Gemma's visions count as prophecies?

I had Dune down for the Sci-fi task but could change it to this one and read something else for the former ....

Everything Matters! A Novel by Ron Currie Jr.

I've heard lots of good things about this book and found it today in the new arrivals at the library. I guess this will be one of the first books I start next week.

Does anyone know if Neverending Story would count? I know that prophecy works it's way into the movie version, but I am not sure about the book.

Candace wrote: "What about the Gemma Doyle trilogy? Do Gemma's visions count as prophecies?"

I was thinking about that too...

There are lots of fantasy books that would fit with the prophecy theme.

The Rhapsody books by Elizabeth Haydon would work. The second book in the series is actually named Prophecy, but the entire original trilogy deals with the fulfillment of a certain prophecy.

I highly recommend Lynn Flewelling's Tamir Triad, which centers on a prophecy that so long as a woman remains queen of the nation, the nation will prosper, and what happens when a man schemes his way into power. (Which is a horrible summary - you'd be much better off reading the summary for the first book, The Bone Doll's Twin).

The Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop also centers around the prophecy that Witch will be born, and is a highly enjoyable series.

The Wayfarer Redemption series by Sara Douglass is another example of a series that centers around a prophecy, as is The Witches of Eileanan series by Kate Forsyth and both the Belgariad and Mallorean by David Eddings.

There is also a prophecy that threads through the Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper, another series that I highly recommend.

Other examples that I'm a little less sure about: The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams, and Daggerspell by Katharine Kerr. Confirmation on those would be great, since it's been years since I read the first, and the second is on my to-read list.

Last Call features fortune-telling, prophecy predictions, and is completely intertwined with Tarot in every aspect.

I wonder if Good Omens would count too ;) That's a hilarious novel!

And ooh Tani, you remind me of those books I haven't cracked yet. I may put Rhapsody as this task.

I'm wondering if The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende would also work.

The wonderful Belgariad series would fit - one is titled Pawn of Prophecy. Fantasy with characters that you will come to see as friends.

Tani wrote: "The Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop also centers around the prophecy that Witch will be born, and is a highly enjoyable series"

I loved that series, although it's not appropriate for younger viewers! Though I did read it at 12 and thought it was amazing and wasn't scarred for life.

Lots of high fantasy has prophecy in it. There's a very high chance there's a prophecy somehow involved if it's a "hard" fantasy (elves, magic, etc.), especially when it's a series. As people mentioned, there's The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time), Pawn of Prophecy (Belgariad), The Baker's Boy (Book of Words), etc. I read a lot of these when I was younger.

Some books I've read and loved that involve prophecy:

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell has an important one (and sounds cool too...Clarke did a good job writing the prophecy so it's poetic and creepy and vague but clear all at the same time).

Watership Down has the entire plot driven by Fiver's vision of the destruction of the warren and the subsequent decision to leave.

A nonfiction on my TBR shelf with good reviews is A Fortune-Teller Told Me Earthbound Travels in the Far East.

I have a question does psychic work?

I was wondering if A Stir of Echoes would work for this task.

Based on the description and multiple reviews (A reviewer says that "He has become something of a medium; receiving visits from a ghost and experiencing moments of predictive ability") I think it would, but I wanted to double check first.

Thanks!

I'm hoping Manda Scott's The Crystal Skull will work - it has a prophecy about the end of the world (aren't they all!) as its central theme.

Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve
A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett
Daughter of Fortune by Isabelle Allende
Sons of Fortune by Jeffrey Archer

Prophecy by Peter James
The Doomsday Prophecy by Scott Mariani
The Hen Night Prophecies by Jessica Fox

Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch was mentioned on the '2 Authors' help board. It would work here too. It looks good to me.

I'll be using Fortune's Fool by Mercedes Lackey. Apparently this challenge, I'll have a lot by ML since I'm catching up with the books I've purchased but haven't read. HEE!

Dune -- I think SHOULD be ok since the prophecy is a MAJOR theme that runs even into the next series of books.

Been a while since I saw this one on any shelves BUT it does work -- The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield.

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
Temple of Ezekiel's Prophecy by Henry Sulley
Eagle's Prophecy by Simon Scarrow
The Presley Prophecy by Allan Morrison

And can't forget Nostradamus.

Sam wrote: "Tanja wrote: "DUNE is a definite PROPHECY - there will come a Messiah :P "

I'd definitely like to know from Janice if Dune was okay."

Dune is ok

Candace wrote: "What about the Gemma Doyle trilogy? Do Gemma's visions count as prophecies?"

Not familiar with Gemma, I'd say no to visions of the ESP flash. I'm looking for the "at the beginning of the line a wise woman prophesied..." or "a hero will arise..."

Jennifer Roberson's Cheysuli novels are definitely on the list.

Lisa wrote: " Everything Matters! A Novel by Ron Currie Jr.

I've heard lots of good things about this book and found it today in ..."

Is this the novel that was made into the movie Knowing? Looks like an interesting twist in how the prophecy is presented, and I'll take it.

Janice wrote: "Candace wrote: "What about the Gemma Doyle trilogy? Do Gemma's visions count as prophecies?"

Not familiar with Gemma, I'd say no to visions of the ESP flash. I'm looking for the "at the beginni..."

Okay thanks Janice! I may have to check those out :)

Sarah wrote: "I have a question does psychic work?"

If "psychic" is related to a specific fortune telling or prophetic statement, yes. Just having visions/hunches and acting on them is not enough.

Cait wrote: "I was wondering if A Stir of Echoes would work for this task.

Based on the description and multiple reviews (A reviewer says that "He has become something of a medium; receiving visit..."

Does he predict things on a regular basis? Does he write them down for public view? Does he hold town hall meetings and tell people what their future will be? That's acceptable.

Or is he just "seeing" that turning left will lead to different consequences or being led by spirits to do their bidding? That's not this task.

Bonnie wrote: "Tani wrote: "The Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop also centers around the prophecy that Witch will be born, and is a highly enjoyable series"

I loved that series, although it's not appropriate..."


All of those are excellent.

Leslie wrote: "Daughter of Fortune A Novel by Isabel Allende.

If you're at all interested in fantasy, The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling is fantastic, and hinges around a prophe..."

Plus The Bone Doll's Twin is creepy, so you get a really Halloween thing going.

Other examples that I'm a little less sure about: The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams, and Daggerspell by Katharine Kerr. Confirmation on those would be great, since it's been years since I read the first, and the second is on my to-read list.


Actually, neither of these is what I wanted.

The first is mostly dreams of the ESP kind: a passive, rather than active, thing. The second is more like a self-curse working through others than a prophecy to guide people after the fact.

Nicki wrote: "I'm hoping Manda Scott's The Crystal Skull will work - it has a prophecy about the end of the world (aren't they all!) as its central theme."

I think prophecies are all about the end of: the world, the ruling family, the country, life as we know it. Even the "good" ones.

Janice wrote: "Cait wrote: "I was wondering if A Stir of Echoes would work for this task.

Based on the description and multiple reviews (A reviewer says that "He has become something of a medium; ..."

Ah, gotcha. I think it's more along the lines of the second scenario you listed, so it won't count.

I think instead I'll either read The Shape of Things to Come by H.G. Wells or The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende.

Tanja wrote: "DUNE is a definite PROPHECY - there will come a Messiah :P "

When I read that, my immediate thought was, "Can I read the Book of Isaiah?" But ummm... Isaiah is confusing.

I think I'll read either The Fortunes of Indigo Skye or Pawn of Prophecy, which my husband assures me has a love story in it. He knows EXACTLY what to say to get me interested... ;)

Sara wrote: "Tanja wrote: "DUNE is a definite PROPHECY - there will come a Messiah :P "

When I read that, my immediate thought was, "Can I read the Book of Isaiah?" But ummm... Isaiah is confusing.

I think I..."

Isaiah also is not 100+ pages, but go ahead and read the entire Bible. It's full of prophecies.

The Bible in three months? I think I'll pass on that. I really should read the Old Testament though. It's just so... daunting...

Sara wrote: "The Bible in three months? I think I'll pass on that. I really should read the Old Testament though. It's just so... daunting..."

Maybe not for this task - even though most recent printings have fewer than 1000 pages - but I have it on good authority that if you read at least three verses a day, you can read the entire Bible in a year. My authority further states that one should devide the bible into six sections (i.e. The 5 "Books of Moses"; the histories; the Psalms-Song of Solomon, Esther, etc.; the prophets; the Gospels & Acts; and the letters & Revelations) and read from one section each day, so one does not get bogged down on any one section.

THIS IS MORE EXPLANATION FOR JANICE'S TASK - Fortune Telling Has Long Been A Halloween Tradition: Read A Book With "Fortune" Or "Prophecy" In The Title, OR That Features Fortune-Telling, Prophecy Or Prediction(s) As The Main Theme Or Has A Fortune Teller As A Main Character.

The book needs to be about the foretelling, prophecy, prediction or a fortune teller* OR the stated words - "Fortune" Or "Prophecy" - have to be in the title.

I will accept "Fortunes", "Fortune's", and "Prophecies" in the title.

*For this task, "fortune teller" means a professional, not just a random dreamer or people playing around with a ouija board. I'll accept a prophet, a sooth-sayer, a tarot reader, a chiromant (i.e. palmist), a reader of entrails or cast bones, a crystal gazer, an astrologist, the Witch of Endor, a medium who foretells the future as long as their job is to tell the future.

If you really can't find a book under the above guidelines, I'll accept a book about an insurance actuary or a horse-racing bookie.

If you really can't find a book under the above guidelines, I'll accept a book about an insurance actuary or a horse-racing bookie.

LOL!

The 8 books of Jean Johnson's "Sons of Destiny" series are based on a prophecy by the Seer Draganna

Beth(MN) wrote: "If you really can't find a book under the above guidelines, I'll accept a book about an insurance actuary or a horse-racing bookie. "

I read that, and was like, "What does that have to do with... Oh..." and I burst out laughing.

Janice wrote: "Maybe not for this task - even though most recent printings have fewer than 1000 pages - but I have it on good authority that if you read at least three verses a day, you can read the entire Bible in a year. My authority further states that one should devide the bible into six sections (i.e. The 5 "Books of Moses"; the histories; the Psalms-Song of Solomon, Esther, etc.; the prophets; the Gospels & Acts; and the letters & Revelations) and read from one section each day, so one does not get bogged down on any one section. "

I think you mean 3 chapters a day? Verses won't get you too far...

We use the King James Version, and it's got 1590 pages... (The Old Testament alone has 1184 pages...) EEK! I found a website that has a 52-week reading plan. It's a pretty nice site! You can switch versions and print out monthly reading calendars... You can even get the daily reading e-mailed to you every day! Cool! It's still daunting though...

Janice wrote: "THIS IS MORE EXPLANATION FOR JANICE'S TASK - Fortune Telling Has Long Been A Halloween Tradition: Read A Book With "Fortune" Or "Prophecy" In The Title, OR That Features Fortune-Telling, Prophecy O..."

How about books centering on the oracles of Delphi in Greek mythology?

El I think that could work.

Hmmm. Wonder about MacBeath or are the 3 witches feature too little to be a main theme?

Janice - you made my morning. LMAO.

Could you tell me if either of these books would fit your task:

Contact-Carl Sagan
"...his prophetic adventure story,..."

or

2001 A Space Odyssey-Arthur C. Clarke
"Even though history has disproved its 'predictions,'..."

The included quotes are taken from the goodreads summary of each book. Has anyone who read these books clarify if they feature prophecy Or predictions as a main theme. Thank you!

Ugh... 2001: A Space Odyssey... *wants to kill herself just thinking about it*

It's a classic, but I hated it. Of course, I hate most classics, so... nrrr...

Or how about I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem? Was Tituba a "fortune teller"? Anyone?

El wrote: "Janice wrote: "THIS IS MORE EXPLANATION FOR JANICE'S TASK - Fortune Telling Has Long Been A Halloween Tradition: Read A Book With "Fortune" Or "Prophecy" In The Title, OR That Features Fortune-Tell..."

Yes, of course you may read something based on the Greek Oracles, who were fortune tellers, but not the Norns nor the Fates, who created without foretelling.

Also, you can't read 300 because that's a graphic novel, which, as far as I'm concerned is just a gentrified comic book.

Dionisia wrote: "Or how about I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem? Was Tituba a "fortune teller"? Anyone?"

Foretelling the future was part of the grounds for the witchcraft accusation against Tituba. It always seemed to me that she got the short end, as the girls probably egged her into telling their fortunes (predicting whom they would marry, most likely) and then they all turned on her the minute the elders got wind of their messing around.

Tanja wrote: "El I think that could work.

Hmmm. Wonder about MacBeath or are the 3 witches feature too little to be a main theme?"

MacBeths witches laid the groundwork for the action, so yes that's a good one.