As Spring makes way for summer (something she seems to have done in reality many weeks ago) thus ends the 5th annual Once Upon a Time Challenge. This is the longest challenge that I host. The three months always seem as if they are going to go on forever yet inevitably the time rushes by in a complete and total blur. For the first time in many years I am ready for Spring to give way to Summer, but again I think that is largely to do with the fact that summer weather moved in early this year. While I anxiously await the more tolerable autumn weather, I am excited about projects I would like to get done these next few months, books that I want to read, etc. But more on that in an upcoming Summer post.
As we close the door on the Once Upon a Time Challenge I want to recap what I myself did for the challenge, give you an opportunity to post links to any wrap up post you may do (not required, but please share it if you do one), and of course end with an opportunity for a prize!
My reading for April and May was the most unproductive reading time in the years since I’ve been blogging. Everything I read for both months was nonfiction (essays) and while I loved them I sadly read very little challenge-related material. But what I did read was amazing and highly recommended.
For my own challenge I completed:
1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
2. Sleight of Hand by Peter S. Beagle (I promise a forthcoming review of this EXCELLENT short story collection)
3. The Very Best of Charles de Lint
Yes, three books! Your host hangs his head in shame!!!
As for the Quest on Screen I watched/played:
As for every challenge I am really and truly honored by having your participation. You all take these things and run with them and you make me so very happy with the relationships you build with one another and the great books you read and pass on. I’ve made new friends again this year because of this challenge which is the best incentive to keep it going. I do so appreciate you all.
Kailana, a special thanks to you for once again doing a buddy read with me. We’ll be doing a wrap up review of The Very Best of Charles de Lint soon.
It wouldn’t be a fitting end to the challenge if I didn’t express my thanks by offering you the opportunity to win a gift of appreciation. All you need to do to qualify is to leave a comment. If you do a wrap up post and link to it at the end of this post, I’ll enter your name in the drawing twice. The period for qualifying ends on Friday, June 24th at 11:59 p.m. CST. I’ll announce the winner Saturday morning in the comments of this post. (And speaking of winners, here is the link to the announcement for the winner of Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol).
This year’s prize is:
(Photo credit: Julianna Swaney)
Your very own Fox Girl notebook from artist Julianna Swaney.
A copy of the latest Peter S. Beagle short story collection, Sleight of Hand. Yes, it is that
good.
And an assortment of fantasy-related ephemera to use for bookmarks, decorating, etc.
Thank you all once again for the opportunity to host this challenge. If it wasn’t for you this thing would not exist at all. Although my own participation was woeful, I did enjoy what I read. I found a new author in Patrick Rothfuss and I already consider him a favorite and finally discovered just why Peter S. Beagle is considered such a great writer.
And finally, a very special thanks to artist Anne-Julie Aubry for the use of her art for the banners for this year’s challenge. Be sure to visit her blog and buy her art! Incidentally, she makes wonderful jewelry and is doing a shop update tomorrow (Tuesday) where she will be listing new jewelry. I’ve been in on this and let me tell you, it disappears quickly, so check her blog for times.
How about you? Did you finish the goals you set for yourself? Did you read any book for the challenge that just blew you away? Did you return to any old favorites and find comfort in revisiting old friends? I’d love to hear about your experiences either in the comments of this post or in a wrap up post of your very own. If you do one of those posts, please link here so that the rest of us can come visit you.
And please consider joining us for gothic tales, mysteries, horror or whatever you think of when you think of a “dark and stormy night” when the R.I.P. (Readers Imbibing Peril) Challenge VI kicks off on September 1st.
I gave up on setting reading goals for this year, since for the last two ones I failed miserably. I just enjoy reading the books I take on reading and I am happy to say that my choices didn’t disappoint me this year. Well, almost all of them since I have two books that I didn’t like. Not that I had much time this year to read, I read very little compared to other years, because the work schedule was a bit tough, but mostly because I am very happy to spend my time with my new born son 🙂
Anyway, because of this I re-discovered the pleasure of reading short fiction, which was a bit lost for me over the time 😀
Mihai: Spending time with your new-born son is certainly a great reason for reading time to be cut back. Congratulations!!! 🙂 So nice to hear that you returned to short fiction. I have long been a fan of the short story genre and am always thrilled to hear of others who are as well.
I don’t generally set reading goals, per se, because I am just as prone to veering off course because of my whims as I am to stay on course. But I do generally get a bit more done in the genre areas of the challenges I host than I did with this one.
Ooooooh! You’re counting games for the quest of the screen? Maybe I misremembered it… Huh. (But eee! That does actually make me feel a little better about counting the games I played for the challenge!)
My wrap up is here. I’m surprised I read so much. The months have gone so fast. I was writing up an earlier post (with the Dutch fairytale resources) all going “And if you want to use them for the OuaT challenge, you can! Hey, no, wait. OMG! It ends tomorrow! NOOOOOO!!!!” And that made the rest of my Sunday very sad. I thought I still had ages and ages to read books. T-T
Don’t feel bad about reading only three books, Carl. We all have our reading slumps. (Besides DA2 takes a loooot of time away from reading.)
I missed out on Quest the Third, which is ridiculous. How hard is it to watch a movie of a play you like? Especially when it’s come recommended by friends who like the play even more than you do? Apparently, it’s ridiculously hard. And I could make excuses for it if I try hard enough, sure, but I’m not interested in excuses. I don’t and that’s that. Next year, I’ll see about inverting Quest the Third and starting with A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
I’m honestly not sure what happened this year, except that I know I was perpetually behind on my courses and I had to do some speed rereading of several books.
I’m very happy with what I’ve managed to read, though. I’d already deliberately set myself the lowest possible of The Journey to avoid pressure and managed to read 22 books! I’m impressed!
I’ve had five rereads, of which only one was a disappointment. My favourite read was no doubt “The Lives of Christopher Chant” by Diana Wynne Jones. I just love that book so much. ^-^ *blinks* Oh, hang on. I need to fix something. Don’t write wrap-up posts at 1.30 in the morning. You end up making mistakes…
I wish I’d had more time to devote to the challenge this year. But I’ve been all over the place pretty much the entire semester/challenge. 🙁 *rambles* Here’s to better luck for both of us next year!
Shanra: I remembered posting a link to my Dragon Age II review, so I’m certainly counting them as Screen quest accomplishments and will no doubt write that in for the next challenge.
I think you did an amazing job, 22 books? Wow! If that is you being “all over the place” then I need some tips on how to organize my life! Are you on a break from school right now?
I need to read more of DWJ. I’ve only read one of her books and was disappointed, but I understand that it wasn’t her best anyway (The Game). I’ll keep this one in mind since you liked it so much. Was sorry to hear of her passing. She was quite the prolific author.
Thanks as always for participating. I’ll be over to check out your wrap up post.
*chuckles* I think if my life was actually organised I’d have managed to read even more. ^-~ Making your work reading coincide with your challenge might help, though. There’s several books on the list that are only there because of my courses. Counting the books you started and decided you wouldn’t finish helps too. (These are different from the books you start and then put aside for another time, mind.)
Sort-of. I’ve finished all my courses, but I haven’t finished my thesis yet.
*makes note of this, hasn’t read “The Game” yet* I love, love, love “The Lives of Christopher Chant”. <3 I want to snuggle into it and never come out. And "The Dark Lord of Derkholm" is… It deals with so, so many topics. And it's a children's book! If you ever want to give her works another chance, you might do well to ask people for suggestions based on your tastes, though.
Shanra: I will do that. I need to go back into last year’s reviews too because I know there was one book that a bunch of people were reading of DWJ’s and they all loved it. It was either last year or the year before. With the way time flies by it might have been the later.
If you can get books to work for the challenge and for course work, kudos to you! 🙂
My guess is it’ll be either “Howl’s Moving Castle” or “Fire and Hemlock” (which, actually, you might like more, though where you’ll stand on the ending… I can’t predict. I’d definitely look up F&H, though, and see if the plot sounds interesting to you. It’s one of her more mature books.)
I only got to do it because I got to write about books that weren’t on the course list but fit within the period. ^-^ Did some serious damage to my TBR pile because I couldn’t pounce on the modern books that also dealt with the same subjects. I was already mixing things up with what I could remember of the topic! (And it was stupidly hard to find sources for some of the things I didn’t want to take for granted with the result that I, ah, didn’t find said sources.) I have no idea how I passed that, but I did. O_O
It was Fire and Hemlock, thanks Shanra. I’m thrilled you passed as well. I feel for all of you in school. I’m happy those days are behind me. Makes me tired just reading what you did because I can imagine how much work that actually involved.
Loved participating in this challenge, and I did get to revisit and old friend of a book…The Outstretched Shadow, which I enjoyed on a whole other level this time around 😀 Also I really enjoyed being able to add the anime series as I always watch it, but don’t often get to share it with others. I’m amazed how many books some people are able to read in the allotted time… truly amazed, what a gift. Thank you for hosting Carl 😉
Kelly: I’m so glad you took part. Its been great hanging out with you on Twitter and on your blog. I mentioned on L’s site the other day that I need to get back to watching some anime. It has been far too long and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve watched in the past.
You’re most welcome.
In the last 3 months, all I read that even comes close was a couple of issues of the annual SPECTRUM collection (##11 and #13) that I came across when unpacking books. There is certainly much fantasy content in them, but they are hardly “reading” in my literal definition of the word. I don’t seem to be having much luck with reading challenges any more, I read mystery and SF mostly so far this year (and every year) and though I started Sanderson’s Mistborn series I’m bogged down at about page 20 or so. No hook up front in it for me. I haven’t put it back on the shelf, but I don’t know when I’ll get to it.
RkR: I always count my time with Spectrum as “reading” simply because I end up going through them a couple of times, looking up artist websites and books, etc. so I end up spending as much time with them as I do a smaller book. Still, I understand it isn’t the same, but I would and do count them for this challenge. LOVE the Spectrum books. I’m so excited they are doing the big Spectrum Live event here in KC in May next year.
I’ve been reading more SF than normal this year. Usually I get away from it during the spring and summer, but with Scalzi’s newest, the new Eclipse collection and other books coming out I’ve been keeping my hand in that. And of course Super 8 has kind of fueled that fire. I’ve been re-reading Larry Niven’s A World Out of Time after some of us discussed it recently on the Classic Science Fiction Book Club site.
Thank you for hosting this challenge as it was my first challenge ever.I started blogging in March.I set a goal of one book, and I read Robin McKinley’s Beauty, but next year for sure I’m going to challenge myself more. I met so many great people through this challenge and it’s so awesome. Thanks Carl.
Skye: You are welcome, thank you for joining in. I’ve heard great things about Beauty. I think someone or multiple someone’s end up reading it every year for the challenge and I have yet to have anyone say, “don’t read this”. I hope you join us in September for the R.I.P. challenge. Always a lot of great folks participating in that one too.
I actually managed to read the correct allotment of books this time…only one of which was on the initial list tho. As always highly enjoyed reading others reviews and added quite a few more books onto my wishlist because of them. Looking forward to R.I.P.!!!
sgist: I love making the lists and yet rarely, if ever, get much read off of them. No matter, I’ll keep making them. So glad you completed your challenge choice and am excited to know you’ll be joining us in the fall.
As always I had a grand ol’ time I feel good that I managed as much as I did, expecially BOTH of the Rothfuss books!! hello?! I am not even going to ask how long before book 3 LOL… but I did 2 movie reviews AND 4 short story reviews!.. Gah! lol
(so tell me.. how was Super 8 the second time???!!!)
And as always I’m thrilled with your participation and am so glad you liked what you read. You are always taking on and conquering the chunksters. I will get back to A Wise Man’s Fear at some point. And yes, not going to be watching at the window for book three. 🙂
Super 8 was just as enjoyable the second time. It still it the same emotional notes for me. In fact I think I was a little more emotional about the ending the second time than I was the first.
And just like the first time I was amazed at how many people ran out of the theater like it was on fire and missed the little movie that started less than a minute (I believe) after the credits started to roll.
…on the other hand… “I” did NOT miss the little super 8 movie! :o)
And I’m glad you did not. I don’t know why folks are in that big of a hurry. Even if you have to rush to the bathroom you are going to end up waiting in line. Much better to sit and relax a few minutes and let the crowd clear out.
I’ve been a lazy participant in the sense that I wasn’t very active around the blogging world during this, but in the end I read way more books for the challenge than I thought I would, and I had a good time doing so. Just got a wrap up post written. Thanks so much for hosting this, and I look forward to doing it again next year. (I’m also eagerly anticipating R.I.P. 2011!) 🙂
Sarah: I’ll be over to check out your wrap up post. Thanks so much for joining in. Happy to hear that your reading exceeded your expectations. That is always a nice surprise.
thanks for being such a marvelous host. This was fun and I look forward to RIP!
I hope to get to a wrap-up post tomorrow.
L: It has been such a pleasure interacting with you and your husband in 2011 and I’m so thankful for your presence over here and the great posts/reviews you do on your site. R.I.P. will be fun, glad you are in.
Thoroughly enjoyed this challenge, as always. And as always I’ve added more books to my tbr read pile than I originally started out with. Thank you for hosting.
Cath: You and me both! I usually have a lull around this time in the book buying and list building but not this year. There is an embarrassment of riches as far as things to read. Thanks for coming along again this year.
I managed twice as many books (11) as I usually do (yay flight reading!) Granted, that was a small section of the pile I had to chose from. Which means I’ll be back again next year 😉
Megan: Love the early reservations for next year! Yay!!! Glad you got more reading done than you expected. I have flown anywhere in a year, but I do always get a good deal of reading done whenever I do fly.
And the piles never do get smaller, do they?
I didn’t even know that Beagle had a new collection out, but you have me so excited now 😀 That cover is absolutely gorgeous too!! What you did read sounds like it was fantastic, Carl and that’s what counts! I’ve had a shitty reading year all year so far..though this month hasn’t been too bad. As always, thank you so so so much for hosting this, my favorite of challenges. This one will always be so special to me. I’ll be back later to link to my wrap up post! After I write it >>
Chris: I don’t remember any stories that I disliked in the Beagle collection, but there were a couple that just blew me away. One was The Rock in the Park and the other was The Rabbi’s Hobby. They are both stories that I would happily foist on people like a pusher hoping to make a big sale.
My reading year has been weird. I only finished 1 book in May. ONE BOOK!?!?! That is so hard for me to even believe when I look back on it.
Thanks for participating Chris. Its been great touching base with you more on Twitter. We’ve all been so busy that it felt like we lost touch there for awhile.
Same here! I was ecstatic when I saw you joined twitter!!! I really missed talking to you! I like twitter because it lets me keep up with people more often since life has gotten so hectic. When I started blogging I was in school and not working that much…now I’m working 40 hours a week AND have a private practice..I hate how little time I have for blogging sometimes 🙁
I don’t know why I either didn’t realize or just didn’t remember that you were doing private practice in addition to your full time job. Yes, that does make things much more hectic, to be sure. I’m excited for you, but it does cut down on the ol’ free time. Plus dealing with your garden and then finding a little time for yourself. That pretty much takes up most of the week I would imagine.
Thanks so much for hosting this challenge, Carl! I only read one book for this challenge but it was so much fun! Look forward to the next OUAT Challenge!
Thank you Melody for participating. One book is great, more so since you enjoyed it enough to be looking forward to next year.
I enjoyed our buddy read. It was fun and it means I actually finished a short story collection! My reading in June was rather quiet, but I actually did rather well with this challenge. I will have to get around to my wrap-up post. I look forward to RIP in the fall and our buddy reads over the coming months!
I did too, I appreciate you suggesting it once again. I’m excited to see what we decide to read for our summer one(s). We’ve got some great options out there on the table. And we’re planning ahead for R.I.P. I feel so organized!
Thanks for participating again, looking forward to your wrap up post.
I know! Planning ahead is always a good thing. 🙂 I am about to link to my wrap-up post now. I was going to do it tomorrow, but since we didn’t wind up posting today, I figured I would do it while I had the time.
Great, I’ll check it out.
Hi Carl. I am so happy that I found out about this challenge. I really enjoyed it. It gave me a chance to reread The Hobbit (not that I really need a reason). Pure pleasure. It was great to meet you and several other people from this challenge. New friends are fun to find. I am looking forward to RIP! And I am with you, I am looking forward to the nice cool weather that comes with fall. Enjoy your movie tonight!
I’m happy you did as well. I’ve really been enjoying your blog posts and our interactions over there and over here.
I absolutely loved this challenge – I did a wrap-up post too 🙂 Don’t feel bad about only getting 3 books read: I finished my last book & reviewed yesterday, hehe…Time got a little away from me and I thought there was another week. Oops 🙂
I made a conscious effort to only read new-to-me titles for this, and it was fun. Of course, now my to read list is even bigger, AND I want to go back and read some of my favorites…ah well 🙂
Thanks so much for hosting, and I look forward to participating again next year! 😀
Thanks Rivka! I am so glad you participated. I’ll get over to your wrap up post later tonight to check it out. I certainly understand time getting away from you. This whole challenge period got away from me! 🙂
It is such a struggle between trying new stuff and revisiting old favorites, isn’t it? I know I may be missing something amazing by choosing a re-read over something new but at the same time I make such friends with books and I want to go visit those friends again and again.
I loved this challenge in theory, but this year I just didn’t have the necessary mental reserves to enjoy it like I wanted to. I had initially planned to do Quest the Second (one book from each genre), but I soon realized that I just wouldn’t be able to get it done. So I shifted over to Quest the First, and I did manage to read five fantasy books. (My wrap-up post is linked above.) I enjoyed them all, but nothing really blew me away. Still, I look forward to trying again next year!
Christina: I had to laugh at the “in theory” part, because I feel like my own participation was largely “in theory” this year. Sorry you didn’t find any blockbuster/life changing reads, but I am glad you at least enjoyed what you read. And 5 books is great!
Thanks for another great Once Upon A TIme. I signed up for one book and ended up reading four. It is wonderful visiting all the other posts and I’m looking forward to R.I.P.!
Gavin: That is great! Always nice to have things work out positively that way. I’d much rather shoot for a doable goal and just have fun and then see myself exceed that goal.
I should think you could count Miss Peregrine. Time travel is somewhat of a fantasy, or have you managed to do it yet? ;P
Heather: I time travel all the time, what are you talking about? I’m kind of old school in my genre separation and consider time travel a science fictional element rather than fantasy, although both categories are certainly in the “fantasy” realm.
Good point. I time travel all the time too then. However, as you saw, I’m counting it anyway. 😀 lol
Count away!!! 🙂
I read three books this year which was better than I expected, so I’m happy. I see you’ve read The Name of the Wind. I’ve got the second in the series gathering dust on my TBR. I’ll read your post again and hope that will nudge me to pick it up. Looking forward to next year’s challenge.
I’m happy for you too, Sakura. The second book is gathering dust on my shelf too, LOL! So much so that I actually did dust it off just the other day. Not to read, just as part of weekend cleaning.
I’ve posted a recap, I wasn’t on the ball enough to post about each book separately. So in the end it’s just a quick recap of the books I read, why, and what I liked about them. Thanks for hosting!
I’ll be checking it out later tonight Jessica, thanks!
You read some really good books. I’ve had The Name of the Wind on my TBR ‘mountain getting ready to turn into an avalanche’ for a while now. Thank you for hosting the challenge. I look forward to next year! I linked my post in the linky. 🙂
Thank you Michelle, it is always a pleasure to host. I am so glad friends finally convinced me to dive into Rothfuss’ world. It was even better than my heightened expectations wanted it to be.
Tried to comment a few days ago, but something must’ve happened! Anyway, I found two great books from doing this challenge! Thanks for hosting it again!
Sorry, for some reason your comment was routed to spam. Hopefully this won’t happen again. Thanks for joining in the challenge. Thrilled you found a couple of great reads. 🙂