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20.9 - Moderators' Pet - Sarah Ruth's Task: Eureka!

My husband and I recently finished watching all five seasons of the show Eureka on Amazon Prime. We missed this one when it was new, but what a joy it was to watch! We would highly recommend this show to anyone. We are both sad that it ended, but we thought that they wrapped it all up pretty well.

Eureka is the name of the town. And it is a town where, according to IMDB, "the best minds in the US have secretly been tucked away to build futuristic inventions for the government which often go disastrously wrong."

This is a one book task. REQUIRED: In your post, state which option you used.

Option 1:
The town of Eureka has a ton of Artificial Intelligence, from a smart home named Sara to deputies named Andy and drones named Martha, there are robots galore.

For this option: Read a book in which AI is central to the plot.

REQUIRED: If it is not apparent from the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ description, explain how AI is central to the plot.

These lists may give you some ideas:
Best Artificial Intelligence Books
Best Technological Singularity Books Fiction or NonFiction


Option 2:
The show's main character, Jack Carter, is a U.S. Marshall who finds himself filling the role of sheriff of Eureka. He is a man's man kinda guy, always referring to himself as old school. But he is surrounded by geniuses everywhere he turns. Even Vincent, owner and Chef of Cafe Diem, is the ultimate chef who can whip up anything that you have in mind to absolute perfection. So, as you can imagine, Jack finds himself feeling quite out of place often as he struggles to understand all that is going on around him.

For this option: Read a book in which a character is either out of their element or is often made to feel like an outsider. This can be a person transported to another time, a person with a disability they are trying to overcome or learn to live with, an immigrant, someone in a minority group struggling to fit in.
REQUIRED: Explain briefly what "outside" group the character belongs to and how they are struggling to deal with this.

Option 3:
Zoe Carter's character changed dramatically throughout the series. Without going into details... to avoid spoilers if you haven't watched...

For this option: Read a book where someone's life changes dramatically, either for the better or for the worse, by an event such as a death in the family, a move to a new town or country, a significant job change.

REQUIRED: Explain what dramatic life change the character has experienced.

Option 4:
As mentioned in the show's description, Eureka was home to "the best minds in the US".

Read a book (fiction or non-fiction) by or about one of history's great minds on this list: REQUIRED: Include in your post the number on the list of the person you chose.

Option 5: The fictional town of Eureka was set in the state of Oregon. In addition to having just watched this show together, my husband and I also recently visited the Oregon. We were, unfortunately, only there for a day. But we fell in love with the area and long to go back someday to visit for a longer stretch.

For this option: Read a book that is set at least 50% in the Pacific Northwest. For clarity, I am using the Wikipedia "most common conception" of "Pacific Northwest", which includes British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

reserved

reserved

This thread is now open!

will this work for option 4 Shakespeare: The World as a Stage

Marie (UK) wrote: "will this work for option 4 Shakespeare: The World as a Stage"

Yep!

Thank you that is all my books chosen for this season I wont get through them all but i have something for everything

For Option 4, can it be set in an alternate history?

Examples:
Ruled Britannia - Shakespeare
Caller of Lightning - Ben Franklin

Julia wrote: "For Option 4, can it be set in an alternate history?

Examples:
Ruled Britannia - Shakespeare
Caller of Lightning - Ben Franklin"

Yes!

I hadn't thought of this, but honestly, alternate timelines is actually a somewhat regular theme in the show, so this seems quite appropriate!

I loved that show! Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Trish wrote: "I loved that show! Thanks for the trip down memory lane."

It was a great show! I'm sad that it ended!

Sarah Ruth wrote: "It was a great show! I'm sad that it ended!"

Likewise. If you enjoyed Eureka, try Warehouse 13 next.

What about this for option 2? The main character definitely feels "out of her element".
Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots

Would this work for either option 1 or option 2?

She's a cyborg - so definitely an "outsider" to the rest of the world...and also uses AI?

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Ann A wrote: "What about this for option 2? The main character definitely feels "out of her element".
Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots"

Sorry for the delay! Yes, I'd accept that as "out of her element".

Alex wrote: "Would this work for either option 1 or option 2?

She's a cyborg - so definitely an "outsider" to the rest of the world...and also uses AI?

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer"

I'm not sure about this one. The intent was the the person is made to feel like an outsider for option 2 and that AI be central to the plot for option 1. I don't get the sense from reading the description/reviews that either is the case.

Do you have a reference showing that the AI is central to the plot, or does the character just happen to be AI?

Sarah Ruth wrote: "Alex wrote: "Would this work for either option 1 or option 2?

She's a cyborg - so definitely an "outsider" to the rest of the world...and also uses AI?

Scarlet by [author:Mariss..."

I can only speak to what was the case in the first book of the series, but cannot find anything that speaks more to AI being central to the plot. Will keep looking.

For Option 2, would The Color Purple work?

From book description: "Set in the deep American South between the wars, it is the tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation."
So the minority group would be race-centered.

Thank you!

Iulia wrote: "For Option 2, would The Color Purple work?

From book description: "Set in the deep American South between the wars, it is the tale of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and s..."

The intention of the second option is that the person is struggling to fit in with some outside group.

Being part of a minority group doesn't qualify unless that person is in a situation where they are surrounded by some "other" group. So if Celie lived in a neighborhood, or was placed into a school, that was primarily a different race, it would count. I have not read this or seen the movie, so I can't say for sure, but from descriptions it doesn't look like that's the case.

Sarah Ruth wrote: "Iulia wrote: "For Option 2, would The Color Purple work?

From book description: "Set in the deep American South between the wars, it is the tale of Celie, a young black girl born into..."

I haven't read the book either, yet, but the description seems to fit the "person is struggling to fit in with some outside group".

The outside group is the community where Celie grows up in - "the deep American South between the wars", which was marked by white supremacy, so that puts her (a black girl born into poverty) into a struggling outsider position.

This is a quote from the Audible book description: "Celie has grown up poor in rural Georgia, despised by the society around her and abused by her own family".

Let me know what you decide :).

Iulia wrote: "Sarah Ruth wrote: "Iulia wrote: "For Option 2, would The Color Purple work?

From book description: "Set in the deep American South between the wars, it is the tale of Celie, a young b..."

I have read the book and don't recall the protagonist trying to fit in to white society.

Iulia wrote: "Sarah Ruth wrote: "Iulia wrote: "For Option 2, would The Color Purple work?

From book description: "Set in the deep American South between the wars, it is the tale of Celie, a young b..."

I see what you're saying, but it really isn't in line with what the intention was for the task.

I was probably too vague with this task (I'm new at this task writing thing!), but the intent is that the person is in a place/time where they are surrounded by the 'other' that they don't belong to and trying to fit in or find their place within that group. Celie is not trying to fit into a white society.

Would If I Stay work for Option 3 - where someone's life changes dramatically?

According to the book description, "Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one."

Melissa wrote: "Would If I Stay work for Option 3 - where someone's life changes dramatically?

According to the book description, "Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, an..."

Yes, that works

Sarah Ruth wrote: "Iulia wrote: "Sarah Ruth wrote: "Iulia wrote: "For Option 2, would The Color Purple work?

From book description: "Set in the deep American South between the wars, it is the tale of Ce..."

Thank you!

Her Best Worst Mistake

The hero in this book is jilted the week before his wedding and this is the catalyst for the rest of the story. Would this be considered a life changing event?
Thanks!

Trish wrote: "Sarah Ruth wrote: "It was a great show! I'm sad that it ended!"

Likewise. If you enjoyed Eureka, try Warehouse 13 next."

I loved them both!!

Lauren wrote: "Her Best Worst Mistake

The hero in this book is jilted the week before his wedding and this is the catalyst for the rest of the story. Would this be considered a life changing even..."

Yep, I'll accept that one as a life changing event. :)

Would this book work for option 4?

The Inklings: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Their Friends.

It does involve Tolkien, but he is not the sole focus of the biography.

Mx.shining wrote: "Would this book work for option 4?

The Inklings: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Their Friends.

It does involve Tolkien, but he is not the sole focus of the biography."

Tolkien & Lewis are both on the list, actually, so I would say yes.

Would this book work for option 3?
The Whisper Man by Alex North

The description says "After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town."

Demonstrating a dramatic change in his life.

Thank you!!

Alex wrote: "Would this book work for option 3?
The Whisper Man by Alex North

The description says "After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will..."

Absolutely!

Sameet Zahoor wrote: "Hi ladies! Have you completed the vote? Did the SRC Moderator send it to you?"

??

Would this work for option 3?

The Futures

Both main characters have dramatic life changes- they are a husband and wife who end up divorced. The husband loses his job in finance participating in a shady deal and end up coaching hockey.

Are those changes significant enough?

Nicole wrote: "Would this work for option 3?

The Futures

Both main characters have dramatic life changes- they are a husband and wife who end up divorced. The husband loses his job in finance pa..."

yes, that will work.