Sunday 25 March 2012

Once Upon a Time 6 - Fantasy books galore


It's here!  It's here!  All year long I wait for this challenge.  Carl's Once Upon a Time has been an annual challenge for 5 years now.  This is the 6th year and I have been storing up books for it all year.  It begins on the spring solstice, which means I am a few days late for signing up.  I have been sick all weekend, and have gotten myself to the computer to sign up, before I go away again.

This is how Carl describes his challenge this year:. "This is a reading and viewing event that encompasses four broad categories: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology, including the seemingly countless sub-genres and blending of genres that fall within this spectrum. The challenge continues through Tuesday, June 19th and allows for very minor (1 book only) participation as well as more immersion depending on your reading/viewing whims.
Come away, and I’ll tell you more…"

“I felt a curious thrill, as if something had stirred in me, half wakened from sleep. There was something very remote and strange and beautiful behind those words, if I could grasp it, far beyond ancient English.”
~J.R.R. Tolkien, on reading the Cynewulf lines about the star Earendel
Now, for the particulars:
The Once Upon a Time VI Challenge has a few rules:
Rule #1: Have fun.
Rule #2: HAVE FUN.
Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!
Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.
While this event retains the word “challenge” from its earliest days, the entire goal is to read good books, watch good television shows and movies, and most importantly, visit old friends and make new ones.

 I had to include the Tolkien quote. I love it, and it is the exact reason why I read fantasy.  It was tolkien that I first felt this thrill with also.  And even though it will open much too late to include for this challenge, I am eagerly awaiting the opening of The Hobbit next Christmas.  Who knows?  we could go see the movie in the theatres next year for this challenge!  Now that would be something to experience!

I am going to partake of Quest the Third:
 Fulfill the requirements for The Journey or Quest the First or Quest the Second AND top it off with a June reading of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream OR a viewing of one of the many theatrical versions of the play. Love the story, love the films, love the idea of that magical night of the year and so this is my chance to promote the enjoyment of this farcical love story.

You can sign up any time, and here is the link. 

My books for Carl's Once Upon a Time 6 Challenge (click on the photo to enlarge)

 

 And I know you are going to laugh, but I have already added five other books from my shelves that I had wanted to read also:*

Green Angel - Alice Hoffman
The Uncertain Places - Lisa Goldstein
First Rider's Call - Kristen Britain
Faerie Tale - Raymond Feist
Dragonflight - Anne McCaffrey

This is such a a wonderful challenge, and it is lovely to have two months of fantasy to look forward to reading.


Isn't this little fox also lovely?

*edited to add:  this brings this year's total to 29.  No wait, I forgot to add Snow White, Rose Red, the short story fairy anthology by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow.  30 books?!  half the fun is choosing them , my Gentle Readers, and if I read half of them, that will be a successful two months of fantasy reading. I want to read them all, of course.....

18 comments:

Cheryl @ Tales of the Marvelous said...

Ooh, I love Dragonflight. Well worth adding to a TBR list. Technically sci fi, I think, but it's one of those fuzzy borderline ones that often feels like fantasy. So why not, include it!

raidergirl3 said...

Yes, the fun is in finding books that look good to read. Green Angel is a very short book, so be sure to get to that one!

The Bookworm said...

Happy reading :) you are right, half the fun is picking the books.

Gavin said...

I love looking at people's lists, just like you! I'm starting with with The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey and then plan to reread Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell!

DesLily said...

I see some books there that I've read !! we all seem to wait for Carls challenges, no matter which ones they are! He draws reads to him like honey and ants! lol..

you didn't think I wouldn't notice Dragonflight did you? lol lol

Cath said...

The comment I left is still missing. That happened to me with one of Pat's comments and I found it in the spam box eventually. LOL.

Kailana said...

What a wonderful pile of books, Susan! I am going to wait to read Dragonflight. Carl is talking about a group read of it... I love Fables, so of course happy to see that on your list. I am also really big into Patricia Briggs and loved River Marked! The Stolen Child was really good! A Great and Terrible Beauty is what relaunched my interest in young adult books. Muse and Reverie was good, His Majesty's Dragons was really good, I loved Graceling and can't wait for the new book, Tithe was good, but the sequels didn't do much for me, The Hundred Thousand Kingdom was really good, and Boneshaker was great, too.

Okay, I'm done. :)

Kathleen said...

Your enthusiasm is infectious! I hope you will love the challenge and all you read as much as you are looking forward to it. I have The Book Of Lost Things by John Connolly on my shelves. If I get ambitious maybe I will sign up for the challenge and read just one!

Memory said...

Ooh, you have THE LIE OF LOCKE LAMORA and THE MAGICIANS & MRS QUENT and THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS and GRACELING to look forward to! Such a good pile of books.

Susan said...

Cheryl: I know, I can't decide, is the Dragon series fantasy or sf? I think it might be a little more SF, but it does include dragons! lol

raidergirl: thanks! your review reminded me of it, as Chris had reviewed it a few years ago and first made me aware of it. I will get to it this time around, I think :-)

naida: thanks, yes it is so much fun to pick them! lol

Gavin: I can hardly wait for your review of The Snow Child, it looks interesting and I've seen different things about it. I really enjoyed Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, some day I will reread it, though not yet. I have too many new books here to read now! lol I hope you enjoy it a second time as much.

DesLily: honey and ants, you are so right! he makes them irresistible, doesn't he? And since it is YOU I have to thank for reading any of the Dragon books, I am looking forward to reading Dragonflight and letting you know how i like it (I'm pretty certain I will)!! lol

Cath: do we have a spam box? I'll go look there. It's most annoying, isn't it? I left two today and they disappeared as well.

Kailana: when is Carl doing his group read of Dragonflight? I'll read it with everyone then, it would be fun to participate in that.
You and I both love Patricia Briggs! That's next on my list to read, I think, I've been waiting a whole year to find out what happens next! I love Mercy, I think she's my favourite among urban fantasy heroines. All the books you name are ones I'm anxious to get to, too! lol especially Graceling, I've been hearing lots about that, and One Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

I'm really enjoying Fables, thanks to you and Chris and Nymeth, you all convinced me to try it..... :-)

Kathleen: Oh, I hope you sign up for it! It's such a fun challenge, and really easy - Book of Lost Things was very good, too. I read it a couple of years ago, and it's one that has stayed with me. I think I even want to reread it one day.

Memory: I thought of you of course with Magicians and Mrs Quent! I just saw the sequel was out in softcover too :-) I missed Carl's group reading of Lies of Locke Lamora :-( so I'll have to read it by my lonesome. Since both you and Kailana are commenting on One Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, I'm pushing that higher on my list. You two have good choice in fantasy, you know! lol

I started Muse and Reverie last year and got side-tracked, so this year I want to finish it. I do love his short stories.

Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness) said...

Good luck with your list! Having that many books to choose from is a lot of fun.

Susan said...

Kim: thanks so much! It is! And I keep finding more to add to it :-)

Michelle @ 1morechapter said...

Green Angel looks really good. I'm getting it from my library.


BTW, I love Fringe, too. I'm so glad it's been renewed for a final 13 episode season!

Susan said...

Michelle: I'm so thrilled Fringe is renewed! We get to see how it turns out, how it ends, even though there aren't quite enough episodes for syndication.

This challenge is so much fun, isn't it?

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