Challenge Overload (PNR and UF Edition) discussion
Yearly Challenges
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2012--Are you ready for the Apocalypse? Best Study Up!
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I'm in, might struggle with some of the catergories. What start date are working from? I started Girlfriend in a Coma last weekend and it would qualify (It came from Nature).
Still reading it - it's a bit weird though, so i've taken a little break from it. It's the first one of his books that I've read and I've got several others. We'll see....
Charlotte, Carolyn right. Your book would count! Think I may be too broad with the start date. How about the start date is September. You can have started the book anytime, but were still reading it by September 1st.
STUDYING UP FOR THE APOCALYPSE READING CHALLENGEDate Range: September 1, 2011 through December 21, 2012 (9/1/11--12/21/12)
30+ is my goal
1/30
I will read at least two for each catagory. I will continue to track catagories to see which ones I read the most of.
Categories:
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse:
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist):
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space): 2012: The War for Souls
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering):
A.
B. Rebirth
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering)
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature)
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war)
A.
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical)
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie)
11. Post-apocalypse: (Some other category): The Suicide Collectors
12. Dystopian:
13. Dystopian Steampunk:
14. Dystopian Cyberpunk:
Please note: I got the date for the end-date of this off the 2012 book, but I pulled it from a blurb I get from my libraries about notable monthly books. . That had the 12.12.12 date on there as the end of the world date, and I thought that was catchy. When I later went to reserve the book and reread the summary (directly from the books summary instead of the libraries email about upcoming good notable books) the date was reversed (12.21.12). This is why I have changed the date for the end of challenge. Hopefully the fact that this is well over a year from now will prevent this from giving anyone any heartburn (other then me).
great idea. im going to do 1 of each 0/14
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist)
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space)
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering)
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering)The Stand
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature)The Dead and the Gone
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war)
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical)2012: The War for Souls
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie)Monster Island
11. Post-apocalypse: (Some other category)
12. Dystopian:The Postmortal
13. Dystopian Steampunk:Neverwhere
14. Dystopian Cyberpunk:
Challenge Overload (PNR and UF Edition) - Are You Ready for the Apocalypse?1/09/2011 to 21/12/12
Catagories:
Avoiding the Encroaching Appocalypse:
Surviving the Appocalypse: The Strain by Guillermo del Toro - currently reading
Post appocalypse (Feminist)
Post appocalypse (It came from space): The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Post appocalypse (It came from genetic engeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from viral engeeneering): Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
Post appocalypse (It came from nature) - Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland - STILL reading
Post Appocalypse: (Some other catagory)
Dystopian: Matched by Ally Condie - currently reading
Dystopian Steampunk:
Dystopian Cyberpunk: Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
I'm slowly getting there, but don't think I'll finish :(Avoiding the Encroaching Appocalypse:
Surviving the Appocalypse
Post appocalypse (Feminist)
Post appocalypse (It came from space)
Post appocalypse (It came from genetic engeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from viral engeeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from nature)
Post appocalypse (After the bombs or war)
Post appocalypse (Magical)
Post appocalypse (Zombie)
Post Appocalypse: (Some other catagory)
Dystopian:
Dystopian Steampunk:
Dystopian Cyberpunk:
Carolyn F. wrote: "I'm slowly getting there, but don't think I'll finish :(Well, it goes through the end of next year so plenty of time!
Oh next year! I thought I only had until 12/22 of this year. Whew!!!I'm reading the Apocalypse Babes books starting with #1 hopefully today. That should take care of one at least!
Thought I posted this already, but I just posted it in my personal thread in another group.
STUDYING UP FOR THE APOCALYPSE READING CHALLENGE
Date Range: September 1, 2011 through December 21, 2012
2/14 Complete
Short review:
World War Z was REALLY good. I was unsure if I would enjoy the format but the book was pretty riveting. I highly recommend it to anyone!
The Stand was such a disappointment. It came highly recommended. It was very interesting at the beginning but then it just got weird and kept getting weirder. I like me some weird, but this just felt like two different books to me. This was my first Stephen King read. It was epic in scale, but not my cup of tea.
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse:
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist):
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space):
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering):
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering):The Stand
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature):
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war):
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical):
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie): World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
11. Post-apocalypse (God or prophesized):
12. Dystopian:
13. Dystopian Steampunk:
14. Dystopian Cyberpunk:
STUDYING UP FOR THE APOCALYPSE READING CHALLENGE
Date Range: September 1, 2011 through December 21, 2012
2/14 Complete
Short review:
World War Z was REALLY good. I was unsure if I would enjoy the format but the book was pretty riveting. I highly recommend it to anyone!
The Stand was such a disappointment. It came highly recommended. It was very interesting at the beginning but then it just got weird and kept getting weirder. I like me some weird, but this just felt like two different books to me. This was my first Stephen King read. It was epic in scale, but not my cup of tea.
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse:
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist):
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space):
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering):
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering):The Stand
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature):
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war):
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical):
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie): World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
11. Post-apocalypse (God or prophesized):
12. Dystopian:
13. Dystopian Steampunk:
14. Dystopian Cyberpunk:
I liked wwz too. Unfortunately I am a library reader so I had to return it-- but plan to finish it soon. I have a thing for zombie fiction.
STUDYING UP FOR THE APOCALYPSE READING CHALLENGEDate Range: September 1, 2011 through December 21, 2012 (9/1/11--12/21/12)
30+ is my goal
22/30 Read
My goal is to read at least two for each catagory. I have two extra that will go in what ever catagory I read more of.
Categories:
Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
1.
2. Tricked
Surviving the Apocalypse:
3.
4.
Post-apocalypse (Feminist):
5.
6.
Post-apocalypse (It came from space):
7.
8.
Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering):
9.
10.
Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering)
11. A Perfect Blood
12. Blackout
Post-apocalypse (It came from nature)
13.
14.
Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war)
15.
16.
Post-apocalypse (Magical)
17.
18.
Post-apocalypse (Zombie)
19.
20.
Post-apocalypse: (Some other category):
21.
22. The Night Eternal
Dystopian:
23.
24.
Dystopian Steampunk:
25.
26.
Dystopian Cyber/Space punk:
27.
28
29 Genetic engineering:
30? The Kingdom of Gods
I'm in1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist or at least with stong female leads)
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space)
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering or mutation)
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering or plague) - I am Legend *
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature)
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war)
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical)
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie)
11. Post-apocalypse: (Some other category)
12. Dystopian:
13. Dystopian Steampunk:
14. Dystopian Cyber/Spacepunk:
Welcome jennifer. Jennifer wrote: "I'm in
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist or at least with stong female leads)
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space)
5. Post-apo..."
15/30 halfway!Avoiding the Encroaching Appocalypse:
Surviving the Appocalypse
Post appocalypse (Feminist)
Post appocalypse (It came from space)
Post appocalypse (It came from genetic engeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from viral engeeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from nature)
Post appocalypse (After the bombs or war)
Breeding Ground
Post appocalypse (Magical)
Post appocalypse (Zombie)
Post Appocalypse: (Have no idea what started it)
Dystopian:
Unholy Ghosts *****
Dystopian Steampunk:
Dystopian Cyberpunk:
Would Angelfall work for Magical? Angels take over the world. It's a great book but I'm having trouble fitting it into a catergory. Guess I could go Biblical with the "Create Your Own" option.
Thanks Lily, took the time to update my list as well. Slow going, but I'm working my way through another 3.
I reaally wasn't aware til I went through a list of books Ive read, that A/PA is really a big theme in the books I choose to read. I mean I have only read 28 books so far this year and i almost have thirty done. Granted, I started this theme a few months before 2012, but still, I only read around sixty books last year too. That means more than half of the books I read could be in this catagory. Granted hardcore PA folks may not recognize the PA themes in some of my books, but it is there.
STUDYING UP FOR THE APOCALYPSE READING CHALLENGE
Date Range: September 1, 2011 through December 21, 2012
Hadn't updated in awhile. Still will likely not make it. Having trouble classifying some in advance without spoiling the story for me.
5/14 Complete
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse:
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist): The Reapers Are the Angels
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space):
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering):
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering): The Stand
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature):
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war): One Second After
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical):
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie): World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
11. Post-apocalypse (God or prophesized):
12. Dystopian: Blood Red Road
13. Dystopian Steampunk:
14. Dystopian Cyberpunk:
Want to read: Anyone know where these should fit?
Date Range: September 1, 2011 through December 21, 2012
Hadn't updated in awhile. Still will likely not make it. Having trouble classifying some in advance without spoiling the story for me.
5/14 Complete
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse:
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist): The Reapers Are the Angels
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space):
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering):
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering): The Stand
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature):
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war): One Second After
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical):
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie): World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
11. Post-apocalypse (God or prophesized):
12. Dystopian: Blood Red Road
13. Dystopian Steampunk:
14. Dystopian Cyberpunk:
Want to read: Anyone know where these should fit?
I have most of the books finished but there are some categories I could have added another 5 books and others that I'm having a hard time coming up with 2.
The Handmaid's Tale is definitely feminist. It is also dystopian. It may fit other catagories too. But those are the first catagories to pop to mind.
Challenge Overload (PNR and UF Edition) - Are You Ready for the Apocalypse?1/09/2011 to 21/12/12
Categories:
Surviving the Appocalypse: The Strain by Guillermo del Toro
Post appocalypse (Feminist)
Post appocalypse (It came from space): The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Post appocalypse (It came from genetic engeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from viral engeeneering): Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
Dystopian: Matched by Ally Condie
Dystopian Steampunk:
I won't finish in time, but I might be able to get another one finished.
25/28Avoiding the Encroaching Appocalypse:
Surviving the Appocalypse
Post appocalypse (Feminist)
Post appocalypse (It came from space)
Post appocalypse (It came from genetic engeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from viral engeeneering)
Post appocalypse (It came from nature)
Post appocalypse (After the bombs or war)
Breeding Ground
Post appocalypse (Magical)
Post appocalypse (Zombie)
Post Appocalypse: (Have no idea what started it)
Dystopian:
Unholy Ghosts *****
Dystopian Steampunk:
Dystopian Cyberpunk:
Books mentioned in this topic
Wilder's Mate (other topics)All That Bleeds (other topics)
Safehaven (other topics)
Alien Salvation (other topics)
Prey (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Douglas Coupland (other topics)Kim Harrison (other topics)
Guillermo del Toro (other topics)
Ann Aguirre (other topics)
Stephenie Meyer (other topics)
More...



Date Range: September 1, 2011 through December 21, 2012 (9/1/11--12/21/12)
Why 12.21.12? It is one of the many predicted dates the world shall end (2012: The War for Souls - by Whitley Strieber).
Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic and Apocalyptic is a broad category and the challenge is to read as many in the category and the sub-categories as you can before 12.21.12. I have sliced and diced some sub-categories so try to read at least one from book from each.
If there are sub-categories you’re not interested in, exclude that area from your challenge. This is all about having fun before it all ends.
I would appreciate if you at least rate the books (the star scale). I would like it very much if readers would write a sentence about their opinion of the books as they read them.
I am going to create another thread to just name books that would apply to get ideas flowing. Also I will create categories in the bookshelf.
Have fun, you can’t do it wrong, just jump in and have at it.
Here are some definitions as copied from Wikipedia:
Apocalyptic fiction: is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, Technological Singularity, Dysgenics, supernatural phenomena, Divine judgement, Ecological disaster, resource depletion or some other general disaster.
Post-apocalyptic fiction: is set in a world or civilization after such a disaster. The time frame may be immediately after the catastrophe, focusing on the travails or psychology of survivors, or considerably later, often including the theme that the existence of pre-catastrophe civilization has been forgotten (or mythologized). Post-apocalyptic stories often take place in an agrarian, non-technological future world, or a world where only scattered elements of technology remain. There is a considerable degree of blurring between this form of science fiction and that which deals with dystopias.
Dystopian fiction: Dystopia is defined as a society characterized by poverty, squalor, or oppression. Most authors of dystopian fiction explore at least one reason why things are that way.
Dystopias usually extrapolate elements of contemporary society and are read by many as political warnings. Many purported utopias reveal a dystopian character by suppressing justice, freedom and happiness. Samuel Butler's Erewhon can be seen as a dystopia because of the way sick people are punished as criminals while thieves are cured in hospitals, which the inhabitants of Erewhon see as natural and right, i.e. utopian (as mocked in Voltaire's Candide.) Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World is a more subtle and more threatening dystopia because he projected into the year 2540 industrial and social changes he perceived in 1931, leading to a fascist hierarchy of society, industrially successful by exploiting a slave class conditioned and drugged to obey and enjoy their servitude. George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopian novel about a coercive and impoverished totalitarian society, conditioning its population through propaganda rather than drugs. Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale describes a future North America governed by strict religious rules which only the privileged dare defy.
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s.[1] Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.
Other examples of steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace's Analytical engine.
Cyberpunk: is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." It features advanced science, such as information technology and cybernetics, coupled with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.[5] Cyberpunk works are well situated within postmodern literature.[6]
Cyberpunk plots often center on a conflict among hackers, artificial intelligences, and megacorporations, and tend to be set in a near-future Earth, rather than the far-future settings or galactic vistas. The settings are usually post-industrial dystopias but tend to be marked by extraordinary cultural ferment and the use of technology in ways never anticipated by its creators ("the street finds its own uses for things"). Much of the genre's atmosphere echoes film noir, and written works in the genre often use techniques from detective fiction.[9]
"Classic cyberpunk characters were marginalized, alienated loners who lived on the edge of society in generally dystopic futures where daily life was impacted by rapid technological change, an ubiquitous datasphere of computerized information, and invasive modification of the human body." – Lawrence Person[10]
Categories:
1. Avoiding the Encroaching Apocalypse:
2. Surviving the Apocalypse
3. Post-apocalypse (Feminist or at least with stong female leads)
4. Post-apocalypse (It came from space)
5. Post-apocalypse (It came from genetic engineering or mutation)
6. Post-apocalypse (It came from viral engineering or plague)
7. Post-apocalypse (It came from nature)
8. Post-apocalypse (After the bombs or war)
9. Post-apocalypse (Magical)
10. Post-apocalypse (Zombie)
11. Post-apocalypse: (Some other category)
12. Dystopian:
13. Dystopian Steampunk:
14. Dystopian Cyber/Spacepunk:
Note: I am going to maybe add some categories, but wanted to get this posted. and had teased this challenge, so please go ahead and get started if you are reading this stuff.
This is all for fun anyway so create your own parameters here and have fun! Never know when it all will end!