Friday, May 16, 2008

It's The End of The World Challenge


Name: It's The End of The World (As We Know It) Challenge
Host: Me, Becky (of Becky's Book Reviews)
Dates: May 2008 - September 15, 2008
Books Required: at least three

Read at least three books about "the end of the world." This includes both apocalyptic fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction. There is some overlap with dystopic fiction as well. The point being something--be it coming from within or without, natural or unnatural--has changed civilization, society, humanity to such a degree that it radically differs from "life as we know it." (Aliens, evil governments, war, plague, natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes, depletion of resources, genetic manipulation, etc.) Here is a wikipedia article on the subject. Also see here.

  • Books can be adult, young adult, or children's. (Though obviously, most will be YA on up.)
  • Graphic novels can count.
  • Audio books can count.
  • Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
  • Rereads can count. But try to read at least one new-to-you book.
  • Books read earlier in the year (January to April) can count in part for the challenge. (But not all three, please.)
  • No lists are required, but you may post one if you like. I'd be curious to see what people want to read...

To sign up, please leave a comment on this post.

To share your thoughts and reviews, I'll be posting a monthly update on the 15th of each month. (June 15, July 15, August 15, September 15). If (or should I say when) I forget to post that update--please email me (laney_po AT yahoo DOT com) and remind me!!! I would welcome the nudge :) Though give me the benefit of the doubt and wait until the afternoon! I don't get up early. And sometimes it's hard to post before ten or twelve.

Suggested reads:

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (and sequels)
The Sky Inside by Clare Dunkle
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
the dead and the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
the shadow series by Margaret Peterson Haddix
the uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

Feel free to post suggestions in the comments as well if you like.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

33 comments:

Debi said...

Noooooo! I swore, swore, swore I would join NO MORE CHALLENGES! But you went right for the jugular with this one...my very favorite type of read in all the world. I'm not even going to try to resist!
I'll be back with my link shortly. Thanks, Becky!

chrisa511 said...

How many times have I said this this year: "damn it Becky!" lol...ok...I'm in for this one, I just have to come up with a list...I know The Dead and the Gone is going to be on it!

Debi said...

Okay, here's my list. Thanks again! I think ;)

chrisa511 said...

Alright Challenge Pusher! My list is up: http://stuffasdreamsaremadeon.com/2008/05/16/stuff-stuff-and-more-stuff/
;)

Anonymous said...

Well, I guess one more challenge is not a lot, but I hate Science fiction, gonna be hard to find 3 I can tolerate. Will search next week. Have no blog, use the list one. I am Lindy

darkorpheus said...

I love the title of the challenge: reminds me of REM:

It's the end of the world

And I feel fine.

Kitty said...

Becky, I'm in for this challenge. I'll read Life As We Knew It and The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I'm not sure yet about the third, but I'm in.

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

Crud--I just joined two new ones--haven't made the list for my challenge yet and now this! But, I've been waiting for a challenge like this so I can get those dystopian books on my shelf read (I love them but avoid them). :) I'll probably do Never Let Me Go, The Road, and A Brave New World. Thanks Becky for the challenge!

Dewey said...

I was wavering. A big plus was the fact that you used an REM song for your title. That made me want to join. And of course I love this sort of fiction. But... SO OVERCHALLENGED already!

And then! Then you named a second Susan Beth Pfeffer book! I loved Live As We Knew It and want to read another of hers. Now I must join.

Becky said...

Dewey:

So glad you've joined! I don't remember if you read LAWKI this year or not, but if you read it in 2008 you may count it. I hope you enjoy The Dead and the Gone. It's different and good. :)

I don't know if you're aware, but if you want autographed book labels for Pfeffer's two books, she's sending them out free to those fans that will email her.

As to the others, I'm glad you've joined in as well :) I think I've visited most of your sites and welcomed you. If not, I certainly meant to :)

Dewey said...

I did read it in 2008, in March, I think, and haven't even reviewed it yet. I am SO behind on reviews.

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

I found your link on Alix's blog and wanted to recommend the graphic novel series "Y: The Last Man."

This sounds like a fun challenge, although I probably won't be doing it because I'm finishing an apocalyptic story of my own this summer.

Becky said...

Thanks bunnygirl for the suggestion. :) I always appreciate hearing about good books!

Anonymous said...

suggestions:
Walter Tevis - Mockingbird
Harry Harrison - Make Room, Make Room!
T.C. Boyle - A Friend of the Earth

Stephanie said...

Like I could pass this one up!! You really are KILLING me Becky!! Here's my list! http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com/2008/05/its-end-of-world-as-we-know-it.html

Laura said...

This is too good of a challenge to pass up! I've posted my list at

http://laurasreadingreflections.blogspot.com/2008/05/seriouslythe-last-one.html

KyleeJ said...

Sign me up!

KyleeJ said...

here is my post
http://kylee-p.blogspot.com/2008/05/its-end-of-world-challenge.html

Anonymous said...

I have given up trying not to join any more challenges, sign me up!

The Whirlwinds said...

Oh no.... I've tried sooo hard to cut back on my challenge addiction. But this one is so fantastic that I just...can't....do it (as I collapse in a heap). I'll have a link soon.

Good luck to all Challenge-folk,
*Aella*

raidergirl3 said...

I'm in too - I really liked the dystopian challenge last year.
Here's my list

The Bookworm said...

oh my goodness, this one is too tempting to pass up.

i'll try and have my list up this weekend.

http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

Debi said...

Thank you Becky, for hosting this! Here's my list, if it's not too late to join.

--Annie

Anonymous said...

I'm in. list at
http://ishreads.wordpress.com/2008/05/24/its-the-end-of-the-world-challenge/

Sharon said...

Hi, I'm new at all this, and this challenge sounds fun. I hope I'm not too late to sign up. My list is at http://shermereem94.blogspot.com.

Unknown said...

Just found this challenge and I have some ideas on books I could read for it. Hopefully I'm not too late to join.

Kathleen said...

Okay I'm in: http://smsbookreviews.blogspot.com/2008/06/end-of-world-as-we-know-it-challenge.html

Amy said...

I'm late but I would still like to participate if it's ok!

Here's my list

The Bookworm said...

my first book for the challenge is complete.
the taking

Anna said...

Yes, I am joining insanely late.

But there are three of these type of books that I have wanted to read for a while and never got around to it. When I join challenges, I tend to read the books quicker. So I'm joining with a month and a half to go! haha.

Link: http://www.endoftheworldhope.blogspot.com

hope.

Kitty said...

I've completed the challenge. My wrap up can be found at:

http://susanlovestoread.blogspot.com

Isabel said...

I finished!

Scroll to the bottom

Here are my reviews:
http://booksandotherstuff.blogspot.com/2007/11/my-reading-challenge-list.html

Grilsgood said...

I dont' have a blog, and I won't be updating at A Novel Challenge until Oct, so here are mine. I did find it difficult, i Hate Sci fi, fantasy, war

1. Stephanie Meyers, Twilight
2. Browne, Sylvaia End of Days
3. Sheldon, Sidney The Doomsday Cronicle

Sylvia Browne was good and Sydney Sheldon was better than i thought it would be.