Comments on: Bravest Challenge: Sam Sykes vs. The Internet

By: Bravest Challenge: Kell’s Legend | Lurv a la Mode

Bravest Challenge: Kell’s Legend | Lurv a la Mode — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:27:34 +0000

[...] to me by author Sam Sykes, who occasionally mumbles a word or two to me on Twitter. As part of his Bravest Challenge, the idea was to challenge several bloggers to read books outside their comfort zones. One of the [...]

By: Review | The Pastel City by M. John Harrison | A Dribble of Ink

Review | The Pastel City by M. John Harrison | A Dribble of Ink — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:13:32 +0000

[...] So, then, it was with obvious, pride-threathening trepidation that I accepted a challenge from Sam Sykes, author of Tome of the Undergates, to tackle Harrison’s work. Along with several others, I [...]

By: little red

little red — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:16:31 +0000

this means i need to give “The Windup Girl” another shot. I couldn’t make it through 100 pages of it.

on a happy note, MURF61, I, a complete stranger, say you need to bump name of the wind and locke lamora to the top of your TBR list, and pronto!

By: BatGirl

BatGirl — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:47:15 +0000

Great list of books, I’m adding some to my TBR list (which is already way long).

In defense of Lackey- I did start reading her at about age 12 and loved her. She’s still one of my favorite authors. Because I connected with her so young, I’ll forgive a lot.

By: Robin

Robin — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:15:58 +0000

Excellent choices and sure to throw several people out of their comfort zones. I’ve read several books this year that have done exactly that. I can’t wait to find out if Ken will read “Arrows of the Queen.” One of my all time favorite books.

By: Raymond Wolfe

Raymond Wolfe — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:27:24 +0000

Oh, it’s on. I guess I have to read Gardens of the Moon now, by Steven Erikson. That is one tough sonofabitch book to read, almost as frustrating as Thomas Covenant.

By: Murf61

Murf61 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:17:17 +0000

What a great idea! And the books you have chosen for your selected bloggers should knock them right out of their comfort zones

I await the reviews with baited breath…

Maybe now is the time I should read books like The Name of the Wind, The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Blade Itself, all of which have been sitting in my TBR pile since their release.

By: Jared

Jared — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:06:03 +0000

I’m quite pleased to see that “MEGAVIOLENCE” has entered the vernacular.

By: neth

neth — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:50:58 +0000

I’ll get you Sykes! One of these days, I’ll get you!

By: E. M. Edwards

E. M. Edwards — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:07:26 +0000

I know Sam, I do understand how reviews can provide a very skewed sense of a book, filtered as they are through the reviewer’s unique viewpoint.

Do take (all except the fresh cephalopod part) my blatherings and typos with a hefty grain of salt. It’s your house, and I’m not trying to step all over it by saying for a moment, that you are not a wonderful writer with a very worthwhile book.

However, in honesty, from the description of the book and a few online reviews, I wasn’t planning on reading it. At least, not anytime in the foreseeable future – because it didn’t seem to be the sort of book I would normally choose. But I think your point (and I assume that’s the real heart of your challenge along with a clever way a la Mr. Mark “gentle web controversy is my middle name – not Charan as it has been widely and mistakenly reported” Newton, to generate comments, buzz, and in my case (cha-ching) sales – is to challenge us to read outside our comfort zones.

And that, I’m all for and so tip my hat to you for supporting such a noble effort.

I look forward to reviewing your book and reporting back to you (privately and politely – never fear, I’ve learned to mind my manners more these days even if such timidity goes against my less better nature).

Best wishes and happier reading,

Eric