Kevin's Watch Book Club: Perpetual Nomination Thread

[I'm Murrin]

So as we get into discussing our first book and reading our second, I'm doing some restructuring of the nomination and voting process to formalise things somewhat.

This topic will serve as an ongoing nomination thread to suggest works for the upcoming month's read. Each month, when a book is selected, the nomination period for the next month will begin. At this point I will make a note of the following in this thread:

1. Automatic nominations. These include any work that gained at least 1 vote in previous months. These works will be included in the next poll automatically, and members do not need to do anything.
2. Other past nominations. These are works that were previously nominated and did not gain a vote. If any member wants to see this work given another chance, all they need to do is say so here and it wil be included.

In addition to these, any work put forward by members during this period will be entered in the monthly poll. If a member wishes to make a case for a book to be chosen - either one that previously failed selection, or a new one - this is the thread in which to make your case.

Book Club selections will be declared on the final Monday of each month, with the poll running for 7 days prior to this (polls are set to close automatically 7 days after posting).

Nomination Guidelines

Any type of work is open for consideration by the Book Club, but we are primarily a part of the General Sci-Fi & Fantasy forum and our focus will be in that area.

Nominated works should be currently in print, preferably in multiple formats. We do not currently consider electronic-only publications. Small press, print-on-demand and other such publications are allowable so long as they are available for worldwide delivery, as we have an international membership.

[I'm Murrin]

March 2013 Nomination Period

It is now time to begin suggesting works to consider for reading in March 2013. Nomination rules can be found in the first post.

Automatic Nominations
The following works are included automatically in the March poll, having gained at least 1 vote last month.

- A Shadow in Summer (The Long Price Quartet) by Daniel Abraham
- Life of Pi by Yann Martell

Past Nominations
The following works have previously been nominated but failed to gain a vote. If you wish to see one of these works given another chance, say so in the thread, and perhaps make a case for why it should be chosen.

- Beyond the Event Horizon - Scott Curtis (1)
- The Magic Engineer (The Recluse Saga) - L.E. Modesitt Jr (1)

The poll for March 2013's book club read will open on Monday the 18th of February, and the selection will be declared on Monday the 25th February.

[I'm Murrin]

And to kick things off I am nominating another work for consideration:

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor was the winner of the World Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2011, among many other accolades.

International award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor enters the world of magic realist literature with a powerful story of genocide in the far future and of the woman who reshapes her world.

In a post-apocalyptic Africa, the world has changed in many ways, yet in one region genocide between tribes still bloodies the land. After years of enslaving the Okeke people, the Nuru tribe has decided to follow the Great Book and exterminate the Okeke tribe for good. An Okeke woman who has survived the annihilation of her village and a terrible rape by an enemy general wanders into the desert hoping to die. Instead, she gives birth to an angry baby girl with hair and skin the color of sand. Gripped by the certainty that her daughter is different—special—she names her child Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient tongue.

From a young age, stubborn, willful Onyesonwu is trouble. It doesn’t take long for her to understand that she is physically and socially marked by the circumstances of her violent conception. She is Ewu—a child of rape who is expected to live a life of violence, a half-breed rejected by both tribes.

But Onye is not the average Ewu. As a child, Onye’s singing attracts owls. By the age of eleven, she can change into a vulture. But these amazing abilities are merely the first glimmers of a remarkable unique magic. As Onye grows, so do her abilities—soon she can manipulate matter and flesh, or travel beyond into the spiritual world. During an inadvertent visit to this other realm she learns something terrifying: someone powerful is trying to kill her.

Desperate to elude her would-be murderer, and to understand her own nature, she seeks help from the magic practitioners of her village. But, even among her mother’s people, she meets with frustrating prejudice because she is Ewu and female. Yet Onyesonwu persists.

Eventually her magical destiny and her rebellious nature will force her to leave home on a quest that will be perilous in ways that Onyesonwu can not possibly imagine. For this journey will cause her to grapple with nature, tradition, history, true love, the spiritual mysteries of her culture, and ultimately to learn why she was given the name she bears: Who Fears Death?

[I'm Murrin]

I'm still iterating on the nomination system. I'm thinking that we should have a minimum number of entries on the monthly ballot, and if there are not that many on the list then past nominations which did not receive votes will be included. I'm thinking of making this minimum 5 works.

So as it currently stands, next month's ballot would include 5 options - everything mentioned in the previous two posts.

The question then is what happens when the list of unsuccessful nominations becomes larger. Maybe an "if it gets no votes after x ballots, it's out" rule?

Right now I'm feeling like this is something I'm doing alone when it should be more collaborative, so suggestions would be very welcome.

[I'm Murrin]

The nomination period for March is now closed. Surprised there's so little discussion this time.

[I'm Murrin]

Guess I forgot to do this!

April 2013 Nomination Period

Automatic Nominations

Works that received votes in the last poll:

- A Shadow in Summer - Daniel Abraham
- Who Fears Death - Nnedi Okorafor

Backup Nominations

Works that did not receive votes, which will be included if the ballot is not full:

- The Magic Engineer - L E Modesitt Jr (2)

Past (Unsuccessful) Nominees

Works that received no votes in 3 consecutive polls:

- Beyond the Event Horizon - Scott Curtis

There is nothing to stop an unsuccessful work from being re-nominated.

The poll for April 2013's book club read will open on Monday the 18th of March, and the selection will be declared on Monday the 25th March.

[aliantha]

Please to add The Illuminatus! Trilogy, or at least the first book, as I just got the omnibus version for the Kindle.

Also, Wool will be out in hardcover directly, if it's not already, so we can put that back on the list.

[Avatar]

Hey, I'll vote for Illumintus!

--A

[I'm Murrin]

Nominations are now closed for April.

[aliantha]

Hey, I'll vote for Illumintus!

--A

Get over to the voting thread and do it, then!

[Avatar]

I did.

--A

[Orlion]

The Green House by Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa

Mario Vargas Llosa's classic early novel takes place in a Peruvian town, situated between desert and jungle, which is torn by boredom and lust. Don Anselmo, a stranger in a black coat, builds a brothel on the outskirts of the town while he charms its innocent people, setting in motion a chain reaction with extraordinary consequences.

This brothel, called the Green House, brings together the innocent and the corrupt: Bonificia, a young Indian girl saved by the nuns only to become a prostitute; Father Garcia, struggling for the church; and four best friends drawn to both excitement and escape.

The conflicting forces that haunt the Green House evoke a world balanced between savagery and civilization -- and one that is cursed by not being able to discern between the two.

[aliantha]

Might be fun to read some magic realism.

[Orlion]

Might be fun to read some magic realism.

Oh, I see how it is. Just because the book is written by a Hispanic Nobel Prize winner, you think it's magic realism.

[I'm Murrin]

I've never liked when (not saying this is what you're doing, aliantha, it just brought it to mind) "magic realism" as a label is used to segregate writers from a particular ethnic and cultural background. Thouh I didn't think of it the way you're suggesting, Orlion (the book does sound like magic realism) - just wondered if other nominations would be given the same label if they weren't written by a South American.

[Orlion]

I've never liked when (not saying this is what you're doing, aliantha, it just brought it to mind) "magic realism" as a label is used to segregate writers from a particular ethnic and cultural background. Thouh I didn't think of it the way you're suggesting, Orlion (the book does sound like magic realism) - just wondered if other nominations would be given the same label if they weren't written by a South American.

Just like a man... thinks a whore house is magical

[I'm Murrin]

Guess I didn't read the synopsis very closely. Assumed it was SF/F, given the forum we're in.

[I'm Murrin]

May 2013 Nomination Period

Automatic Nominations

Works that received votes in the last poll:

- A Shadow in Summer - Daniel Abraham
- Wool - Hugh Howey
- Who Fears Death - Nnedi Okorafor

Backup Nominations

Works that did not receive votes, which will be included if the ballot is not full:

- None

Past (Unsuccessful) Nominees

Works that received no votes in 3 consecutive polls:

- Beyond the Event Horizon - Scott Curtis
- The Magic Engineer - L E Modesitt Jr

There is nothing to stop an unsuccessful work from being re-nominated.

The poll for May 2013's book club read will open on Monday the 22nd of April, and the selection will be declared on Monday the 29th April.

[aliantha]

I've never liked when (not saying this is what you're doing, aliantha, it just brought it to mind) "magic realism" as a label is used to segregate writers from a particular ethnic and cultural background. Thouh I didn't think of it the way you're suggesting, Orlion (the book does sound like magic realism) - just wondered if other nominations would be given the same label if they weren't written by a South American.

Just like a man... thinks a whore house is magical

You must've missed my rant about how magic realism is fantasy with an accent, Murrin. Altho I can't imagine how -- I think I've delivered it about once a quarter here for the past several years.

[deer of the dawn]

I plan to keep nominating Wool till you people cave.