Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Hooray for our first round of results! You can find the listopias for the winning prompts by clicking on the link in the Top category.

Top:
A science fiction or fantasy novel written by a woman
A book that involves art, music, dancing, or acting

Bottom:
We are not picking bottom prompts for this poll.

The first round of suggestions will open around noon CST on Monday, July 1st.

Not a good start for me with the one I dreaded getting in. Obviously I respect democracy but it’s really hard already knowing you will be reading a book you don’t enjoy.

I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read that barely counts as SFF for those who don't want to read something typical of either genre.

I voted against the SFF one, but admittedly I do already have a book in mind that'll work for it! And it'll be starting a series that my husband loves too, so that'll make him happy. XD

And I did vote for the art one, so broadly a quite positive start!

Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read that barely counts as SFF for th..."

Ellie- if you have some suggestions for fringes of the genre I would love to hear

I like both prompts even though I didn’t vote for the SFF one. I mostly read male SF authors but have 3 books on my physical bookshelves to choose from plus I want to read more Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, and Becky Chambers. I’m already feeling more excited now to start the list process. 😀

Thomas wrote: "Ellie- if you have some suggestions for fringes of the genre I would love to hear..."

It depends what you want to read about. These are a few that I've read that aren't marketed as SFF:
The Ministry of Time
The Husbands
A Thousand Ships
In the Blink of An Eye
Private Rites

Thanks. Have now found one

I wish it didn't say novel because I do the challenge more than once, once as only fiction and once as only non-fiction. I'll have to stretch it a bit to just science for the non-fiction.

Deborah wrote: "I wish it didn't say novel because I do the challenge more than once, once as only fiction and once as only non-fiction. I'll have to stretch it a bit to just science for the non-fiction."




I'm curious how you would have found a science fiction or fantasy book that is non-fiction.

Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm curious how you would have found a science fiction or fantasy book that is non-fiction.

How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy.

If it doesn't seem too tricky, I'm hoping to do the same as Deborah, and that looks a good way to go - there seem quite a few books to choose from.

Or this sort of thing:

A Pictorial History of Science Fiction

Ahhhhh. Great start.

Happy with our first prompts to kick off the process :)

Many times prompts say something like historical fiction or history. science fiction or science to give people choices between fiction or non fiction. I may need to make that suggestion in the wild discussion. This year I had to ask for help finding non fiction for cozy mystery.

Thanks for the suggestions LeahS, this should be easier than cozy mystery was.

Deborah wrote: "Many times prompts say something like historical fiction or history. science fiction or science to give people choices between fiction or non fiction. I may need to make that suggestion in the wild..."

You should indeed mention it in the wild discussion. It’s a very important point

I just did and I also asked if there were any other twists people wanted consideration for.

Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read that barely counts as SFF for th..."

This is going to make my voting much more focused as I already know the prompt I'm using my wildcard for

Pamela wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read that barely counts..."

Luckily I was able to tackle sci fi or fantasy with a picture book otherwise I’d have already used my WC too

Ellie wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Ellie- if you have some suggestions for fringes of the genre I would love to hear..."

It depends what you want to read about. These are a few that I've read that aren't marketed as ..."

the Husbands is considered sci-fi?? I just finished that... off to change this year's weeks! Good book and not at all sci fi, Well, there is a magical attic that changes out husbands...

Pamela wrote: "Ellie wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Ellie- if you have some suggestions for fringes of the genre I would love to hear..."

It depends what you want to read about. These are a few that I've read that aren'..."

I haven't read it yet (it's on my TBR for July), but I think the magical attic aspect would put it into the fantasy category. For people who are looking for a fantasy that isn't all dragons & swashbuckling.

Wow my two upvotes made the list. That has to be a first.

As usual, I've already forgotten which ones I voted for!

Someone already added a male author to the SFF list.

Dubhease wrote: "Someone already added a male author to the SFF list."

Amazing! It took less than a day for someone to lose the plot.

I was just wondering since I keep seeing the prompt only mentioning the Sci-Fi part if that is because it is just a short way of referring to the prompt or if people are missing the fantasy option.

Jillian wrote: "I was just wondering since I keep seeing the prompt only mentioning the Sci-Fi part if that is because it is just a short way of referring to the prompt or if people are missing the fantasy option."

Maybe they aren't realizing that the second F in SFF is for Fantasy?

Dubhease wrote: "Someone already added a male author to the SFF list."

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro is the only one I saw. Could a GR librarian remove that book.

Ciara wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "Someone already added a male author to the SFF list."

Amazing! It took less than a day for someone to lose the plot."

And here is where I wish we had emoticon responses to comments. Here's my "HaHa".

Yes! My upvotes made it! 🌺☺️

Pamela wrote: "Husbands is considered sci-fi?? I just finished that... off to change this year's weeks! Good book and not at all sci fi, Well, there is a magical attic that changes out husbands......"

The fact it has magic in it makes it slightly fantasy. The prompt is sci-fi OR fantasy. Although multiverse theory *could* make it sci-fi if you really wanted.

Jillian wrote: "I was just wondering since I keep seeing the prompt only mentioning the Sci-Fi part if that is because it is just a short way of referring to the prompt or if people are missing the fantasy option."

I use SFF as a shorthand for both but I'm clearly being misread so I will type out all the words in future.

Jillian wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "Someone already added a male author to the SFF list."

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro is the only one I saw. Could a GR librarian remove that book."

Popping on now to moderate the listopias, but in general, we hope that readers will confirm any books placed on those lists fit the criteria. Of course, if you notice something amiss, please comment so I can remove it! But with 52 lists by the end of the year, it gets hard to monitor them all.

I upvoted one of those :) However, the one I didn't vote for is still one that works for me.

Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read that barely counts as SFF for th..."

I think it is pretty wide too. I tried to add some books to the list the sci-fi or fantasy elements are minimal.

I've added a whole bunch of books on the list now. Mostly fantasy but also some sci fi and all written by women. They are almost all from my TBR but I've read some of them. Unfortunately there are a few exquisite books I would have loved to add but they haven't yet been translated from Swedish. I do hope they will be though.

For you who aren't that much into fantasy I want to inform you that that which is most often considered fantasy is called High Fantasy within the Fantasy Realm. But there are so many other subgenres like Urban Fantasy and Magical Realism so if you are not interested in fantasy like The Lord of the Rings, don't hesitate - there are so much more!

The same about sci fi, what most people think of as sci fi is called Space Operas but if you are not interested in sci fi like Star Wars there are so many other kinds of sci fi - many dystopias are for example sci fi. Steam punk is another subgenre.

Pam wrote: "I like both prompts even though I didn’t vote for the SFF one. I mostly read male SF authors but have 3 books on my physical bookshelves to choose from plus I want to read more Ursula K. Le Guin, O..."

Those are my 3 favorite female sci-fi authors too, and I’ll add Nnedi Okorafor.

I’m really happy with the results.

LeahS wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "I'm curious how you would have found a science fiction or fantasy book that is non-fiction.

How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy.

If it doesn't seem too trick..."



oh, very cool! I did not know of either book!!

The locus awards have a non fiction category, but most of them weren't at my library. Then I found this one: Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction and now I have to wait until next year to read it.

Deborah wrote: "I wish it didn't say novel because I do the challenge more than once, once as only fiction and once as only non-fiction. I'll have to stretch it a bit to just science for the non-fiction."

@ Deborah
There are nonfiction books that explain sci-fi topics, such as alternate realities and time travel. There are probably more coming out soon too based on recent research.
Ex
Your Brain Is a Time Machine: The Neuroscience and Physics of Time
It's Really About Time: The Science of Time Travel

I also saw some nonfiction books by sci-fi authors such as Ursula leGuin. There might even be books *about* women and sci-fi - why there is a gap, what we like, cultural sci-fi, different sub genres, how female sci-fi authors are different, etc.

NancyJ wrote: "There are nonfiction books that explain sci-fi topics, such as alternate realities and time travel. There are probably more coming out soon.
I saw these

[book:Your Brain Is a Time Machine: The Ne..."

Deborah wrote: "The locus awards have a non fiction category, but most of them weren't at my library. Then I found this one: [bookcover:Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction|44..."

Great suggestions!

Pamela wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read that barely counts..."

Pamela, what do you mean? You have at least 4 books on your favorites shelf that are sci-fi fantasy books, including one of my favorites by Alice Hoffman. A lot of SFF - especially fantasy books - are very mainstream.

I love that we can use wildcards. They’re reassuring when you have a temporary brain freeze and can’t think of any books that fit.

Pamela wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read that barely counts..."



Pamela, maybe you would be interested in what I wrote in message 36? (⁠•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

Oh, I reccommend What Makes This Book So Great: Re-Reading the Classics of Science Fiction & Fantasy by Jo Walton

but I've already read it.

Nike wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plenty to read tha..."

Great explanation Nike.

NancyJ wrote: "Deborah wrote: "I wish it didn't say novel because I do the challenge more than once, once as only fiction and once as only non-fiction. I'll have to stretch it a bit to just science for the non-fi..."

Thanks, that one does sound interesting, but isn't at my libraries, but don't worry I already found one, as long as I don't give in and read it too soon: Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger

NancyJ wrote: "Nike wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I thought combining science fiction and fantasy made it a bit too easy, but hey ho, there wasn't much to vote on. They're really wide genres; there's plent..."

Thanks 👍

Here is a list if different subgenres within Fantasy:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/...

And here's a list of subgenres within Sci Fi:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scien...

Thanks Nike!
I like both science fiction and fantasy, but I appreciate the info about sub genres. It’s easy to think all sci-fi is space opera style, and all fantasy is high fantasy. Sometimes I’m not sure how to categorize a book that’s definitely got some unreal elements to it, so these lists/definitions will definitely help.

I find looking at a book’s GR main page and see what genres a book has been shelved is also helpful. (I know in my other groups that have more rules of what counts and doesn’t GR main page is what genres are based on).