Once Upon A Time IX: epilogue

[calissa]

The Once Upon A Time IX reading challenge finishes on Sunday. I’m busy chasing deadlines and am not likely to squeeze in any more reading, so it is time for me to check in with how I went. To recap, OUAT is a reading challenge for lovers of fantasy, fairytale, folklore and mythology. It is organised by Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings and runs from 21 March to 21 June. I signed up for:

Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time categories. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.

In my sign-up post, I mentioned that I was nervous because this was my first year participating in the challenge while also blogging here at Earl Grey Editing. It turns out I need not have worried–there’s always plenty of fantasy on my Mt TBR. This year I got through six books.

 

Unbound and Free by Becca Lusher is a historical fantasy about a boy who lives with his family on a haunted island. Full review here.

The Dagger of Dresnia by Satima Flavell is a high fantasy featuring a middle-aged queen doing her best to keep the kingdom and her family together. Full review here.

City of Fae by Pippa DaCosta is an urban fantasy in which a young journalist breaks the law by touching a fae rockstar in need of help. Full review here.

 

The Art of Effective Dreaming by Gillian Polack is a literary fantasy about a young woman whose vivid fantasy world begins to develop a mind of its own. Full review here.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch is a high fantasy in which a young thief and his merry band become caught in a struggle for control over the criminal underworld of their city. Full review here.

The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch is a high fantasy wherein our thief is somewhat older and no wiser. He is forced to face off against his long-lost love in a rigged election. Full review here.

Once again, I enjoyed the event hugely, though I wish I’d had more of a chance to check out some of the other reviews that went up as part of the event. Next year, I might try the more challenging Quest the Second: read one book each of fantasy, folklore, fairy tale, and mythology. At least I have plenty of time to prepare.

If you participated in the event, I’d love to hear how you went. If not, what fantasy have you read lately?

 

Mirrored from Earl Grey Editing.

Comments

[onewhitecrow]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1313904749

[calissa]

Thank you for this. I can see what you mean about it being a mixed bag.

Would you mind if I added you as a friend over on GR?

[onewhitecrow]

Mostly good, though. I think Ffydd, NineKnotting Grass, Holding Ring were my favourites, even if it's actually quite hard to pick and Sky Dog's female Mesoamerican counterpart did make me surpress a bounce. That said, natives of the Americas seem to have got the short end of the stick in this volume, and Antipodean voices were entirely absent. Mostly I'm just glad to have got some fantasy in and even found authors to watch for.

I...don't know? Add if it pleases you, for sure. I don't update religiously or often and am a bit abivalent towards the place.

[calissa]

Thoraiya Dyer is Australian (and an acquaintance), though she might not have been writing from Australian culture. She has a trilogy coming out with Tor sometime that might be of interest to you.

Disappointing to hear the Antipodean voices were largely missing, though. The New Zealand Maoris have some amazing stories about their encounters with settlers.

I will add you, if you don't mind. Please don't feel pressured to do likewise. I just like seeing what everyone else is reading.

[onewhitecrow]

No, she was writing a Turkish lady here...I'd give her books a second glance if I chanced on them from this, but I'm not '!' impressed as I was with others, if that makes sense (it may not - it's midnight here and today was long).

Entirely so, I'm afraid, unless one counts the Phillipines for being in the Pacific. Heh, the Maori in general rock (plus they have patupaiarehe), though I think I liked the stories without settlers/white folk "onscreen" best in the main.

All right. Don't feel unloved if I later mess with settings, likewise...I am almost asleep on my perch and not sure what I just clicked in for...zzz. You getting any gaming time in of late, by the way? Also, have you ever used the system Fate?

[calissa]

Please don't let me keep you awake.

I believe Thoraiya's background is Lebanese, so that rather makes sense. Though she is good at writing sensitively from/about other cultures (and is a keen naturalist). Having said that, I have found her stories a little uneven sometimes.

Mess with the settings all you like. It is your account, after all, and I can understand how things get overwhelming or turn out to be more than you bargained for (especially when you're half asleep).

I had an epic adventure last week and another one scheduled for this weekend. I must get around to writing about how things have been.

I can't say I've heard of Fate. Is it something I should look into?