Short Story Challenge: August Recap

 

If you missed signing up for the Short Story Challenge, it's not too late.  Each month I will post a recap to discuss what everyone has read for the challenge. Everyone who still wants to sign up, go back to original post (to which I will leave a link in every current post). Then leave comments in the current post.

 Now that September is halfway through...:) Sorry I took so long in posting this. Life. Excuses. :)

I only read one collection this month. Well, 1 1/2. I finished Stories Edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio, which I loved. I actually loved every story in that collection. A rare feat. Please, go read those stories. I guarantee you will love them too. Not all are sci-fi or fantasy, as you might expect with Neil Gaiman being an editor, but they all have an element of the weird to them. 

  

 

The other was Short Stories: The Vintage Collection with stories by classical authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saki, and Thomas Hardy. While a few of the stories were really good, some were just crap. There is no nice way to put it, they were. I demand so few things from a short story but when those few things are let down, I lose all respect for the story. Some great authors simply should not write short stories. They should stick to full length novels where they have time to develop a story in their own way. A short story needs to tell a complete story. Even if down the line, you take that short story and make it into a full length book, I need to know that what I'm reading it is not simply an opening chapter. I need to feel some sense of completion when I finish. It needs to have closure. It can be weird closure, it can leave me wanting more, but there must be a true ending. Too few of the stories in this collection have that. The main character also needs to be developed. I know this is hard in shorts, but give me a sense of who this character is, why he acts the way he does. Make me love him enough to want to care about his story, because otherwise I will tune it out and get bored. Too few of the stories in this had that also. 

If you like the classical authors and are simply curious, pick it up. If you like short stories and want some good reading, skip it.

Short Story Challenge - July Recap

 

If you missed signing up for the Short Story Challenge, it's not too late.  Each month I will post a recap to discuss what everyone has read for the challenge. Everyone who still wants to sign up, go back to original post (to which I will leave a link in every current post). Then leave comments in the current post.

Well, I've done a little more reading this month! That's what happens when you put aside the WOT saga for a little while. :) I've moved on to another series that looks like it's going to be extremely time consuming but I don't plan on reading them all back to back. I have learned my lesson with this WOT re-read!! 

Anyway, with short stories this month it was all audio. I'm just loving having an ipod!! I know, I was living in the Dark Ages before. Getting audiobooks on cd. Jeez, who does that anymore? hehehe. But the problem I've noticed with the ipod is that I can't swap these for other books. With the books on cds, I could list them on Paperback Swap and get another one for only the price of postage. Now I buy a new book and it just sits there taking up space on my computer. Not sure what to do about that. I'd like to share some of them with my friends or mom but how do you do that? I'm not going to delete them until I figure that out (anything short of burning 500 cds for one book). 

I listened to Pump Six and Other Stories  by Paolo Bacigalupi. I've never read anything by this author before so I know nothing about his writing style but I just couldn't finish this. You can read my review here. 

I also listened to Stories edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio. Actually I should say I am listening. I'm not quite finished with all the stories yet (really long book! More than 18 hours). I'll post a review as soon as I'm finished. This is a most entertaining book. The stories are a wide range of genres and styles. Take a moment to look at all the names listed around the edge of the cover (that's why I made the pic so big). Wonderful!! The book was broken into 3 parts for the audio and the first part had simply disturbing stories. Wonderful, horrible, I-hope-this-never-happens-to-me-but-I-can't-wait-to-hear-more stories. The second part has some truly funny stories. Like the frat boy who drops acid right before he's called to be a contestant on the Price Is Right. Oh Yeah, I was laughing so hard I probably shouldn't have been driving. I just finished this second part and am now signing off to go listen to the third part. Let you know...

Short Story Challenge - June Recap

 

If you missed signing up for the Short Story Challenge, it's not too late.  Each month I will post a recap to discuss what everyone has read for the challenge. Everyone who still wants to sign up, go back to original post (to which I will leave a link in every current post). Then leave comments in the current post.

Not too much reading going on here. Well, actually, lots of reading but it's all been the WOT re-read. I did get a little short story reading in though, through audio. I listened to A Galaxy Triology, Vol 2. Even though I greatly enjoy sci-fi short stories, I find it amusing to read ones from 50 years ago or more. This collection is of classic sci-fi and it's interesting to read how technology was imagined to be years in the future. The first story, Aliens from Space by David Osborne, was published originally in 1958. The story takes place sometime in the mid 90s. The technology is both more advance and less advanced than it actually was in the 90s. For example, humans have already progressed in space flight far enough to have a vehicle that will take us to Jupiter in just a few days, yet in order for the White House to communicate important news to everyone, they still send mimeograph reports to the news agencies that break in with "This important news just in!" That's just one example. I really enjoyed this story and think it would make for a wonderful update if anyone ever decided to take it on. Two advance aliens races fighting over the "just average" Earthlings. What I didn't like that it was much longer than I would normally think a short story should be. It was over 3 1/2 hours long in audio. I would classify this more as a novella, however since it's part of a collection then I guess it still fits in my own guidelines! This volume was also published this year, so it would fit with the rules for Gold but I already messed that up when I read the Irish collection and the collection of De Lint stories. Oh well. 

I got an ipod, finally! Now I don't have to cart around cds of audiobooks to listen to! I'm so excited. I've been listening to stories while I walk the dogs or clean the house. I know I could have done that before (the cleaning part anyway), but it's difficult to move around the house and still catch everything. This is much more convenient. And I don't have to worry about losing my place when I move the cds from the car to the house. I've been having so much fun with this thing. Now I know why everyone has one!

I don't have anything lined up yet for next month's collection but I'm sure I'll be on Audible.com soon downloading something for my toy!

Short Story Challenge - May Recap

 

If you missed signing up for the Short Story Challenge, it's not too late.  Each month I will post a recap to discuss what everyone has read for the challenge. Everyone who still wants to sign up, go back to original post (to which I will leave a link in every current post). Then leave comments in the current post.

Summer's almost here! Can you believe it!

Well short stories this month were few and far between. I downloaded through Audible two collections of short stories in order to listen in the car but they were so very long and I am not driving as much with the school year having ended (three days a week I drive over an hour one way to work in another school district) so I only listened to one. It is Favorite Sci-Fi Stories Vol 2 and includes authors Frederic Brown, Ben Bova, Frank Herbert, and Kurt Vonnegut. This is a wonderful collection from the granddaddies of Sci-Fi just recently published (May 20th), though many of their stories we written years ago and part of much older collections. I got a late start on the Short Stories this month also, which is another reason I only "read" the one!
I'm enjoying this though, getting in the short stories written by some of my favorite authors. I wish I had done it years ago!
Looking forward to seeing what everyone else read!

Short Story Challenge - March and April Recap

 

Ok, I am a loser! hahahaha Sorry, everyone, for not putting up March's Recap. I'm a terrible host right now because I'm simply not at my computer enough to keep up with my blog lately. Blame it on the joys of new love. 3 1/2 months now. Maybe the glow will wear off enough for me to get back to blogging again!

If you missed signing up for the Short Story Challenge, it's not too late.  Each month I will post a recap to discuss what everyone has read for the challenge. Everyone who still wants to sign up, go back to original post (to which I will leave a link in every current post). Then leave comments in the current post.

Well, I slipped on my own challenge. Yep, didn't I just say I was loser? Now you have proof. I read some short story collections I already but had never read. So, I did read short stories these two months but I didn't read anything published in 2010 like I planned. Oh well, aren't these challenges meant to be broken? hehehe

First up is Emerald Magic: Great Tales Of Irish Fantasy edited by Andrew M. Greenley. A very entertaining collection of leprechaun's, wraiths, and other Irish creatures. Two of my favorite authors are a part of this collection, Ray Bradbury and Charles de Lint, but last time I checked neither were Irish. Interesting. This is not the first story set in Ireland by either of them I've read. They both seem to enchanted by Ireland. Of course, what fantasy lover isn't? It's got to be the richest source of fantasy of any other country. That's why bought the book in the first place!

Speaking of Charles de Lint, the other collection is The Ivory and The Horn, a collection of de Lint's short stories. A few of the stories use characters that readers of de Lint's work will recognize, such as Jilly and the other residents of Newford. It's a nice way to catch up with beloved characters but not feel tied to a whole book.

Hope to read about everyone else's tales soon!

Short Story Challenge - February Recap

 

If you missed signing up for the Short Story Challenge, it's not too late.  Each month I will post a recap to discuss what everyone has read for the challenge. Everyone who still wants to sign up go back to original post to sign up (which I will leave a link to in every current post). Then leave comments in the current post.

Again, I have just read the bare minimum, as I am still re-reading my way through the WOT series. I'm on book five, so it won't be too much longer and then I can read something new! And that includes more short stories. Hope everyone else is doing well on their challenges!

This month I read the February 2010 edition of Realms of Fantasy. I have never read this magazine before and will most likely not again unless a specific story in it look interesting. There's too much other junk in it I'm simply not interested in, like game reviews. Boring! At least I think so. But the stories themselves were pretty good.

How Interesting: A Tiny Man by Harlan Ellison is an interesting take on human nature and what is a natural life. The story starts like this: "I created a tiny man. It took me a long time. But I did, finally: he was five inches tall. Tiny; he was very tiny. And creating him, the creating of him, it seemed an awfully good idea at the time."

I like this not only because of the implications of creating a tiny man but because of the humor with which the story was told: "There were threats. Some of them curiously misspelled - its, rather than it's - and suchlike." or there is also: "And so, I have a car, I use raw sugar instead of aspartame, my pants do not sag around my shoetops, and I drive a perfectly utilitarian car. The make and year do not matter for this disquisition."

Mister Oak by Leah Bobet wanted to be something more than what it was. It wanted to be a look at human nature through the eyes of plants but it took the metaphor too far and left me just feeling wanting.

The Demon of Hochgarten by Euan Harvey was beautifully told and was a complete story in it's own right. It does not need to be expanded into a full length novel to make sense or feel complete. I think that's a very important part of being a "short story." Also, I very much enjoyed the new aspect of the classic werewolf tale.

Melanie by Aliette de Bodard was also a very well written story and a good commentary on human nature and our fears, though I believe the story she did for Asimov's was much better.

My favorite story in this collection is The Unknown God by Ann Leckie. I love the irreverent way in which she tells the tale of a god who regrets his hasty actions. I will leave you with a bit of this story in which one god, Aworo, is contemplating another, Smerdis:

Aworo had heard of devotees who, laying a hand on the bull as it passed, had been granted inner peace and enlightenment. "There's a procession..."

"Every month. They'd like to do it more often, of course, but they can't get the permit. Can't have gods parading around the city whenever they like, we'd never get anything done!"

Happy Reading!

Short Story Challenge - January Recap

 

If you missed signing up for the Short Story Challenge, it's not too late.  Each month I will post a recap to discuss what everyone has read for the challenge. I've decided not to include a new Mr. Linky for each one, as this could get tedious but have everyone who still wants to sign up go back to original post to sign up (which I will leave a link to in every current post). Then leave comments in the current post.

This month I read Asimov's Science Fiction, the February 2010 edition, to satisfy the requirements of the Gold level. Part of the reason I wanted to do this challenge was because I don't read enough short stories and, as a lover of the Sci-fi/fantasy genre, I felt I was leaving out a significant portion of good reads. 

For the most part I was impressed with the level of writing in this magazine, though the very first story was by far the greatest. Although Stone Wall Truth by Caroline M. Yoachim was a complete story on it's own (as I feel a good short story should be), it could very easily be adapted into a longer novel at some point. I know it
 left me wanting more and wanting to know where a longer version of this might lead.

The Wind Blown Man by Aliette de Bodard gets a firm runner up prize. If I hadn't been so blown away (no pun intended here!) by the first story, this one may have been my first choice. It appealed to the side of myself that enjoys Buddhist philosophy. It took that philosophy and turned it on it's side briefly while still telling a beautiful story. This one I would have a hard time seeing as a full novel, unless this were the final chapter. It is so complete on it's own that there is no reason to tell more.

Although not a bad story, the weakest in the magazine was Dead Air by Damien Broderick. I feel Broderick has the great outline of a story but it needs a good editor. He also should look into not trying to pepper his story with as many big words as possible. It's wonderful that he knows what these words mean and that he uses them correctly but it's a distraction for the reader to encounter unnecessarily long words every sentence. It speaks of a slight immaturity. 

I can't wait to read what every one else read this past month. If you're doing one of the lesser levels that don't require a collection every month, leave a comment and let me know how it's going anyway!

Other 2010 Challenges

Just to be fair I am going to participate in two more book challenges this year. No point in hosting one and not participating in someone else's! But you should know in advance that I am HORRIBLE at challenges. I already have the Audio Book Challenge, which should be easy for me with all the driving I do. I have a second interview next week, and if I get that job I'll be driving less but still enough to be listening fairly often. (Keep your fingers crossed!)

The next I'm going to participate in is the Sci Fi Experience non-challenge hosted over at Stainless Steel Droppings. Very easy: read Science Fiction. I think I can handle that one!

The last is the 2010 YA Reading Challenge hosted at J. Kaye's Book Blog. This one will be my REAL challenge! We'll see if I can keep up with it. I'll be participating at the Mini Level, reading 12 YA novels.

And don't forget my own Short Story Challenge!

My Favorite Reads: The Langoliers

My Favorite Reads is hosted by Alyce on her blog At Home With Books. The idea is to take a book you read before you started blogging and tell your readers about it.

This week in honor of my Short Story Challenge, I'm going to discuss one of my all time favorite short stories: The Langoliers from Stephen King's Four Past Midnight.

This is the story of several passangers on a flight from LA to Boston. At some point along the way the past through a type of time warp unknowingly. When they land in Boston, they are the only people around. It appears as though the entire airport has packed up just a minute ago and disappeared. Where are they and how do they find everyone else?

I have always enjoyed Stephen King's books and style. Most people who complain about King, name his style as being a problem. "He's too wordy" or "He can't stay on subject" are common complaints. I actually enjoy his tangents and find they add to the story. However, there is less tangential thought in this story, which makes the thrill and horror almost constant as you follow the characters.

I am now going to shamelessly promote my new Short Story Challenge. It will be a monthly challenge throughout 2010. Please join me!

Short Story Challenge

Well, I figure since I have been doing this blog for about a year and a half, it is now time for me to host my own challenge. Or more like, I simply want to! My favorite genre of books is Fantasy/Sci-Fi. This genre prides itself on its wonderful short stories. Most of the well known authors who write Fantasy and Sci-Fi started out writing short stories. This is where my challenge gets it's inspiration. The challenge will take place from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. There will be 3 levels for everyone to choose from but they should all be fairly easy to accomplish.

Gold: Read one collection of short stories, published in 2010, every month. It must not be published before Jan 1, 2010 or after Dec 31, 2010. Some collection are published early but have a later date. For example, February 2010 edition of Realms of Fantasy is already available, this is acceptable based on the date. (Told you I'd be easy)

Silver: Read one collection of short stories, published at any time, every month.

Bronze: Read one collection of short stories every quarter (Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sept, Oct-Dec)

UPDATE! Wimpy level:  Read any amount of short stories and participate at anytime during this challenge.

Here are the guidelines:

1. You can join at anytime as long as you don't start reading the collection before Jan 1, 2010

2. If you join after January and want to participate in the Gold or Silver levels, you may post about more than 1 collection per month in order to catch up.

3. You can choose short stories from any genre, but they MUST be short stories and not novels. Here are some definitions to help:

Short stories tend to be less complex than novels. Usually a short story focuses on only one incident, has a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters, and covers a short period of time.

A classic definition of a short story is that one should be able to read it in one sitting. 

In contemporary usage, the term short story most often refers to a work of fiction no longer than 20,000 words and no shorter than 1,000 (although I don't care if it's a short short). 

Novellas are acceptable as long as you are reviewing a collection and not just one. 

4. Your "collection" may be any type of publication that has more than one short story. It could be a book of  several authors, a book of one author's short stories, a monthly magazine specializing in short stories, an e-magazine specializing in short stories, etc. If you have questions, please feel free to leave a comment.


5. This challenge is for 2010 only. The last day to have all your stories read will be Dec 31, 2010. (There may be part 2 for 2011 if I get enough interest).

4. When you sign up in Mr.Linky use the DIRECT LINK to your post about the Short Story Challenge. If you just post the URL to your home page, it will be removed. No one wants to search an entire year's worth of post to find just one. If you don't have a blog, leave the URL blank and sign up in the comments section of this blog.

5. I will have a new Mr. Linky for each month end and for the year end wrap up. Please use January's for your January post, and February for February's post, etc.

HAVE FUN!!