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This is a never-ending, rolling challenge. One member of the Group picks a book and challenges anyone else in the Group to read it. The first person to accept the challenge posts here to claim it. This person also nominates the next book they want to challenge anyone in the group to read. Simple!

When you've accepted a challenge, please start a new thread to let people know how you're going along the way, when you've finished etc.

So let's start......

I nominate the book Scorch Atlas by Blake Butler.

Any takers?

Oh come on. Somebody's got to be game! :)

Sounds like an interesting book but the library doesn't have it.

I would, but I'm reading so many books right now!

I nominate Floating worlds by Cecelia Holland. It is on many top 20 SciFi lists and yet, I have yet to meet anyone besides myself who has read this book. Looking at the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ traffic it looks like about 50-50 I hate it-I love it.

You can nominate if you accept the challenge, Karen!

If it helps, here's my (4 Star) review of Scorch Atlas:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

C'mon, be brave! It's not a long one either.

OK. Scorch Atlas sounds really dark and I am still getting over The Age of Miracles but I will accept the challenge. Do I keep everyone posted on my progress or just weigh in at the end?

YAAAY! Good on you Karen! If you could start your own thread in this folder ("Rolling Challenge") to keep us posted that would be great!

And because you accepted the challenge, you get to pick a book to challenge someone else to read. So will you challenge the next person to read Floating Worlds, or something else?

Per my previous message I nominate the book Floating Worlds.

Ruby wrote: "YAAAY! Good on you Karen! If you could start your own thread in this folder ("Rolling Challenge") to keep us posted that would be great!

And because you accepted the challenge, you get to pick a ..."
Is my own thread just a new comment referencing the book?

I've started the new thread for you in this folder. Looking forward to seeing how you go. :)

I'd actually really like to read this one myself, it has been on my TBR for a while, but I have found it hard to find a copy. Is anyone else keen to read Floating Worlds?

Alright, alright. I accept the challenge. I'll read it. That's now 4 group reads and a reading challenge, plus the books I already have on the go. So I might be a while! But I am quite keen to read it.

In the meantime, I challenge the next volunteer to read:
Piercing by Ryū Murakami
Yes, the other Murakami!
It's not too long, only 192 pages, and while the subject matter is quite intense, it actually doesn't feel like a heavy read. It's also absolutely brilliant.

Ruby, thanks for picking this up. I will be interested in your reaction.

I'm looking forward to it. It has been high on my TBR for ages after getting a couple of glowing recommendations on here :)

Ruby wrote: "In the meantime, I challenge the next volunteer to read: Piercing by Ryū Murakami
Yes, the other Murakami!..."


If no one else really really wants to do this challange, I think it might be made for me. I have been contemplating Ryu Murakami for years, ever since Coin Locker Babies started appearing on shelves next to Haruki M's books. Plus I loved the film version of Audition. Plus I love disturbing, twisted psychological fiction. Plus there is ONE copy currently available at my local library. Plus I haven't been reading much lately since starting my new job, so I need to make some sort of commitment to get me back into the fiction groove.

The only minuses would be the theme of child abuse, and the high bar set by Karen for reporting on these challenges.

You should totally do it, Whitney. It's a great book for getting back into the reading groove after starting a new job (worked for me), and despite the themes of abuse, it isn't a heavy read. I don't know how that happens, but it's true!

I'll right, I'm in! I think my book in turn will be Tours of the Black Clock. Erickson is number one on my list of great neglected. writers.

Whitney, Ruby wrote: "In the meantime, I challenge the next volunteer to read: Piercing by Ryū Murakami
Yes, the other Murakami!...". This is a new author for me, never heard of him/her so I will be watching for the report. I have yet to figure out how you all get italics in these comments. Are you using raw html?

Karen wrote: "I have yet to figure out how you all get italics in these comments. Are you using raw html?..."

Yep. Here's a link that shows basic formatting, including italics:

http://www.goodreads.com/help/search?...

If you're talking about quoting people's posts though (which appears in italics as well), you can just click where it says "reply" on the right hand side just below someone's post.

Whitney wrote: "I'll right, I'm in! I think my book in turn will be Tours of the Black Clock. Erickson is number one on my list of great neglected. writers."

Wow, Whitney! I have a new author to urgently track down! Thanks? :)

Me too, this is starting to get addictive. :-)

Whitney wrote: "I'll right, I'm in! I think my book in turn will be Tours of the Black Clock. Erickson is number one on my list of great neglected. writers."

Not to be confused with an author I discovered this year, Steven Erikson.

Okay, I finished Piercing. I loved it. Sorry I didn't post updates while reading. It went quickly and I didn’t want to stop and analyze it before it was over. It would have been like commenting on a roller coaster halfway through the ride.

The strength of the book is its exploration of the main characters� abnormal psychology and how it guides their actions and interactions. It starts with the premise of a person with an abusive past planning a murder he feels compelled to commit to protect his outwardly perfect life. But that’s only the starting point; it takes some wild turns from there (view spoiler)[ when the main character encounters an equally messed up woman in his intended victim.

In a sense the different ways the two main characters act is fairly stereotypical. The man turns his compulsions outward, seeking to hurt someone else. He’s very analytical, but has no emotional response to go with his recognitions. The woman is the opposite, turning things inward (cutting) and responding emotionally � except in a key moment when she recognizes how her emotional response is actually a logical survival mechanism, a revelation that plays out in the novel. (hide spoiler)]

I agree with Ruby that this book doesn’t come off as disturbing as you think it might, somehow maintaining a fairly light tone despite it’s subject matter involving childhood abuse and how it resonates in its now-adult victims.

Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed Piercing! My partner just finished it, and loved it too. I really enjoyed the unexpected farce element - You can see the misunderstanding about to lead to something bloody/hilarious, and it just heightens the whole experience. Very cool.

So who's going to take on Whitney's challenge book: Tours of the Black Clock? Wow, that second "l" does just fade from sight doesn't it?

Whitney wrote: "Okay, I finished Piercing. I loved it. Sorry I didn't post updates while reading. It went quickly and I didn’t want to stop and analyze it before it was over. It would have been like commenting on ..."Great review, I am now very curious to read this. Thanks

I'll take Whitney's challenge. I've never read Steve Erickson, but I'm always looking for new authors.

I'll challenge everyone to read The Historian . I found it a little slow going at the beginning, but then I couldn't put it down!

Candice wrote: "I'll challenge everyone to read The Historian. I found it a ..."

I'll take the challenge. I've had it to read for awhile now. This will be a great excuse to start.

My nomination is A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines.

Yaaay! Love those challenges! Hope everyone enjoys their books :)

So Candice - Please let us know how you're going with Tours of the Black Clock. I'm keen to hear about that one.

Any takers for A Gathering of Old Men? It does look like a really great book...

Ruby wrote: "Any takers for A Gathering of Old Men? It does look like a really great book..."

That does look good -- I'll take it. My nomination is Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil.

Nicholas wrote: "Ruby wrote: "Any takers for A Gathering of Old Men? It does look like a really great book..."

That does look good -- I'll take it. My nomination is Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil."

Wow. Once again - I gotta say there are some fantastic challenge books popping up! This looks amazing.

I'm about 1/3 of the way through Gathering, and I really like it so far. I'll start a thread in a bit.

If this is still going I nominate .

Hi Donna. Couple of things...

Just wanted to be sure you understand that you need to accept the challenge of the person before you. Then you can nominate a book for someone else to read. That would mean you're agreeing to read & write about Narcopolis. Is that right?

Also, in this group you'll need to use links to the book title in your posts rather than the cover of the book. Thanks.

Did Donna pick up Narcopolis? Because if she didn't, it's on my list, and I'll take it.

already read necropolis. I think whoever reads will find it an interesting read. I'm looking forward to seeing what you think?

Karen wrote: "Did Donna pick up Narcopolis? Because if she didn't, it's on my list, and I'll take it."

It has been over a week since I asked Donna to confirm, so as far as I'm concerned - you've got it, Karen! You can go ahead and nominate the next challenge book. :)

If worst comes to worst, we'll just have two people reading it. Please don't forget to start a discussion thread to let us know how you're going. It's good that Victoria's read it too, so you'll have someone to compare notes with..

Great! I'll be doing Narcopolis as an audio book, so I hope that is okay with this crowd.

I'd like to offer as my challenge Salman Rushdie's The Moor's Last Sigh. I've re-read it many times, but never had anyone to discuss it with!

No one's picking up my Rushdie? Should I pick something else?

I'm trying to work up my nerve - and of course, then I'd have to think of something for the next person. I don't know why I find Rushdie intimidating - I've heard him interviewed many times and find him fascinating, but I've still never read any of his books.

well, Derek, let me encourage you. The Moor's Last Sigh is full of beauty and poetry and magic, and isn't intimidating at all. Like most of his works, a reader can navigate it successfully on many levels. A superficial reading is just as enjoyable as a deep, analytical reading. Doesn't matter what you know about culture, politics, history, literature, religion or any of the other subjects he winds into his narrative. It's good as a story. It's good as a culture study. It's good as philosophy. It's just a good read. Dive as deeply (or as shallowly) as you like, and enjoy! :)

OK, I'm in for The Moor's Last Sigh.

And nominating Incandescence. Greg Egan is my favourite, current, Hard SF writer. He's typically heavy on Physics and Math (this one using a good deal of both), but that's no problem for any of you brilliant people, is it?

nominating Incandescence. Greg Egan is my favourite, current, Hard SF writer.

Never read any Egan, but thanks for letting us know about him. I'm sure he'll be on my list soon enough.

Derek wrote: "OK, I'm in for The Moor's Last Sigh"

Hi, Derek. Have you had a chance to read this yet? How's it going? I hope you're enjoying it.

It's next in line. Try to be patient :)

LOL. I'll be good. If your reading list is anything like mine, "next in line" has a nebulous meaning that needs to be judged very broadly.