You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Better late than never, I say! Now that it's May, I should get serious about knocking off those series that I started. Here's my list of possibilities based on books I've already read and books that I own:

SERIES IN PROGRESS

The Poldark Saga by Winston Graham (12/12) - Killed 07/31/15
Asian Saga by James Clavell (2/6)
The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett (2/3)
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (5/5) - Killed 06/17/15
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (3/11)
Sarah Agnes Prine Trilogy by Nancy E. Turner (1/3)
The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry (1/4)
Millenium by Stieg Larsson (3/3) - Killed 07/8/15
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (4/15)
The Cousins War by Philippa Gregory (1/6)
The Night Trilogy by Elie Wiesel (1/3)
Otherland by Tad Williams(4/4) - Killed 08/26/15
Coming Home to Brewster by Roxanne Henke (5/5) - Killed 08/06/15
The Tudor Court by Philippa Gregory (3/7)
The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson (0/4)
The Tamworth Saga by Karleen Koen (3/3) - Killed 10/08/15
The Malloreon by David Eddings (0/5)
Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone by Greg Keyes (0/4)
Civil War 1861-1865 Western Theater by Jeff Shaara (4/4) - Killed 11/30/15
The Ender Quintet by Orson Scott Card (0/4)
World War II Liberation Trilogy by Rick Atkinson (0/3)


NEXT BOOKS TO READ IN SERIES

King Rat by James Clavell
Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
Sarah's Quilt by Nancy E. Turner
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
Dawn by Elie Wiesel
The Taming of the Queenby Philippa Gregory
The Runes of the Earth by Stephen R. Donaldson
Guardians of the West by David Eddings



SCORING:

Trilogy = 30 pts base
Four book series = 40 pts
Five book series = 50 pts
Six book series = 60 pts
Seven book series = 70 pts
Eight book series = 80 pts
Nine book series = 90 pts
Ten or more book series = 100 pts

Yay Suzanne!

Lots of door stoppers, but some fine reading coming your way, Suzanne! I have read many of the books on your "next" list. Fond memories.

Thanks for the encouragement Rusalka and Cherie! I'm currently reading A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin, so I think I'll kill off the Game of Thrones series first. You are right Cherie, these are definitely door stoppers!

I'm glad you're joining us, Suzanne. Happy killing reading.

Level 1 - Reserved

1. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin - completed 05/18/15
2. A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin - completed 06/17/15
3. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson - completed 06/26/15
4. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - completed 07/08/15

Series Killed: A Song of Ice and Fire - 06/17/15
Series Killed: Millenium Trilogy - 07/08/15

Points: 2 George R.R. Martin = 50 pts + 10 pts
2 Stieg Larsson = 30 pts + 10 pts

Total Points = 100 pts
2 Series Killed

Level 2 - Reserved

1.The Twisted Sword by Winston Graham - completed 07/20/15
2.Bella Poldark by Winston Graham - completed 07/31/15

Series Killed: The Poldark Saga - 07/31/15

Points: 2 Winston Graham = 100 pts + 10 pts

Total Points = 110 pts
1 Series Killed

Level 3 - Reserved

1.Always Jan by Roxanne Henke - completed 08/06/15
2.Sea of Silver Light by Tad Williams - completed 08/26/15

Series Killed: Coming Home to Brewster - 08/06/15
Series Killed: Otherland - 08/26/15

Points: 1 Roxanne Henke = 50 pts + 5 pts
1 Tad Williams = 40 pts + 5 pts

Total Points = 100 pts
2 Series Killed

Level 4 - Reserved

1.Now Face to Face by Karleen Koen - completed 10/08/15
2.A Blaze of Glory by Jeff Shaara - completed 09/16/15
3.The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory - completed 10/20/15
4.The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory - completed 11/03/15
5.A Chain of Thunder by Jeff Shaara - completed 11/11/15
6.The Smoke at Dawn by Jeff Shaara - completed 11/20/15
7.The Fateful Lightning by Jeff Shaara - completed 11/30/15

Series Killed: The Tamworth Saga - 10/08/15
Civil War 1861-1865 Western Theater - 11/30/15

Points: 1 Karleen Koen = 30 pts + 5 pts
2 Philippa Gregory = 10 pts
4 Jeff Shaara = 40 pts + 20 pts

Total Points = 105 pts
2 Series Killed

Level 5 - Reserved

Level 6 - Reserved (Really?)

Level 7 - Reserved (Who am I kidding?)

Suzanne wrote: "Level 7 - Reserved (Who am I kidding?)"

You might surprise yourself Suzanne - welcome to serial killing!

Yes you can! LOL, I just finished my last book for this level about an hour ago.

Cherie wrote: "Yes you can! LOL, I just finished my last book for this level about an hour ago."

Way to go, Cherie!

Finally! Level 1 Complete! Yay me!

You did it!!!

I read all of the books you used for your first two serial kills, long ago. I read them both straight through at the time. I was crushed when I found out that Stieg Larson had died. I wanted more! You will not have to wait so long for the next G.R.R. Martin but it will be just as hard, I bet. :0).

There is a new book coming out in the Steig Larson series. I am not sure how this is possible since he died right after turning in the the other books. I am not sure if I will read it or not. I liked the other ones though. I am currently in the agony of waiting for the next G.R.R. Martin book now.

Amanda wrote: "There is a new book coming out in the Steig Larson series. I am not sure how this is possible since he died right after turning in the the other books. I am not sure if I will read it or not. I ..."

I just happened to mention this at the end of my review, Amanda:) The Girl in the Spider's Web, written by David Lagercrantz, was taken from Larsson's unfinished manuscript. It will be interesting to see if the plot and writing is up to Larsson's high standard. It's due for release on August 27th.

I also can't wait for the George R.R. Martin book. Has there been any word on a release date?

I was aware of the next book in the Millennium series and am going to be interested to see how it goes too.

George is doing other things and has not committed on a date yet.

Knocked off Level 2! That makes 3 series killed in total!

Started to read The Song of the Lark, but abandoned it. I guess I won't be finished the Willa Cather series...

On a brighter note, I rearranged my series list and am now finishing Tad Williams' Otherland series. Much, much better! I'm a happy reader, now!

Suzanne wrote: "Started to read The Song of the Lark, but abandoned it. I guess I won't be finished the Willa Cather series...

On a brighter note, I rearranged my series list and am now finishing Ta..."

Oh, I have always wanted to read this trilogy. Too slow?

Never have been able to get into Tad Williams.

Okay. When I signed up for the challenge there were only 6 books in the Tudor series by Philippa Gregory. I just checked and she added another book in August! Ugh!

LOL! I think 3 or 4 of the series I have killed off during the challenge have had new books released. On others, I was waiting for the new books to be released but they have been pushing out. To kill, or not to kill is killing me!

Oh, on another note. I am about half way through The Sound of the Lark. I think I am committed to seeing where it is going to go, but it IS long-winded (maybe if I were reading it, I would have been tempted to abandon it, but the audio is very easy to listen to). I don't see how this is so autobiographical either, but I don't know anything about Cather. The 3rd book is much shorter.

You make me smile, Cherie! This challenge is only a #3 priority in the books I'm reading, my book club being first and Around the USA being 2nd. I had hoped to finish the USA Challenge this year, but it's not looking good. I'd like to get at least 2 more levels completed for the Serial Killer Challenge and that's looking iffy as well.

I never do audio books, or else I might have stayed with Cather as well. I just found Song of the Lark too dry. Right now I'm reading Ahab's Wife for my book club and I'm struggling with the same boredom factor. It's 700 pages long, so I really hope it picks up soon!

I would really have to love the narrator's voice to get through anything dry and 700 pages!!!

I don't go out of my way to try to read everything in audio, but if they are available and it is something that fits in AND I like the voice, it is a win, win for me, especially when it allows me another book read while I am doing stuff like working in the yard.

I have only managed a few Australia books this year. I think I am behind my "one a month" and need to catch up. The site was down the last time I thought about updating my status.

Well, I've managed to knock of 2 books in level 4 and one more series. Only 5 more books to go to knock off this level, but it may take me until the end of the year to get there. I may be completing a few levels in 2016, but I love this challenge because it gets me to read books that have been collecting dust on my shelf!