MobileRead Discussion/Suggestion Thread

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I suppose we'd better get started if we're to finish by Christmas. Are there any objections to my starting with this poll on the question, "Should each month in 2013 be unique, or should we consider repeats of certain categories?"
* Each month should be unique.
* Repeats of certain categories should be considered.

Yes yes yes.

Recommended slight rephrase:
* Each month should be a unique category or genre.
* Repeats of certain categories/genres should be considered

And then use the comments to give context and definitions--mention this is for the book club, maybe link to the selections thread, so that people who haven't seen the ongoing debates have some idea what's being voted on and why.

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Yes yes yes.

Recommended slight rephrase:
* Each month should be a unique category or genre.
* Repeats of certain categories/genres should be considered

And then use the comments to give context and definitions--mention this is for the book club, maybe link to the selections thread, so that people who haven't seen the ongoing debates have some idea what's being voted on and why.

I agree with a further slight modification. There was a post recently, I thought in this thread but can't find it now, to the effect that different words created a different category. I would replace the word “unique” with either “different” or “separate.” Other then that lets start with that as the first question to be put to a vote.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I suppose we'd better get started if we're to finish by Christmas. Are there any objections to my starting with this poll on the question, "Should each month in 2013 be unique, or should we consider repeats of certain categories?"
* Each month should be unique.
* Repeats of certain categories should be considered.

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Yes yes yes.

Recommended slight rephrase:
* Each month should be a unique category or genre.
* Repeats of certain categories/genres should be considered

And then use the comments to give context and definitions--mention this is for the book club, maybe link to the selections thread, so that people who haven't seen the ongoing debates have some idea what's being voted on and why.

Good idea(s)!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Each month should be unique but it's OK to have overlaps due to the fact that some books fit in more then one category.

You mean like certain science fiction and fantasy titles?

[WT Sharpe]

I'll let this idea bake for a bit. Sometime tomorrow, if no objections have been raised, I'll start a poll.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

You mean like certain science fiction and fantasy titles?

Like I can nominate an SF book but it also fits in classic.

And you know full well that that book is Fantasy since the authoritative sources say that's what it is.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I'll let this idea bake for a bit. Sometime tomorrow, if no objections have been raised, I'll start a poll.

You have to start the poll today. If you wait until tomorrow, I may not be able to vote. As it is, I'll be very likely missing the vote for the book club.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You have to start the poll today. If you wait until tomorrow, I may not be able to vote. As it is, I'll be very likely missing the vote for the book club.

I could add your vote for you if you like, since you'll be absent. Just let me know.

[sun surfer]

I like the poll options. Will the poll be hidden or open?

Also, what constitutes a repeat category? It would be good to have that clarified beforehand.

We discussed categories such as two non-fiction where one is biography and one is something else, and also how Mystery/Crime and Thriller/Suspense are essentially the same...will "repeats" include either of those?

Originally Posted by sun surfer

I like the poll options. Will the poll be hidden or open?

Also, what constitutes a repeat category? It would be good to have that clarified beforehand.

We discussed categories such as two non-fiction where one is biography and one is something else, and also how Mystery/Crime and Thriller/Suspense are essentially the same...will "repeats" include either of those?

As in my opinion are Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

As in my opinion are Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

Overall, science fiction and fantasy are different. Yes, there is some overlap, but not much.

So is The Hobbit science fiction? if so, how is it science fiction? Is Beggars in Spain fantasy? If so, how is it fantasy?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Overall, science fiction and fantasy are different. Yes, there is some overlap, but not much.

So is The Hobbit science fiction? if so, how is it science fiction? Is Beggars in Spain fantasy? If so, how is it fantasy?

+100 !

BOb

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Overall, science fiction and fantasy are different. Yes, there is some overlap, but not much.

So is The Hobbit science fiction? if so, how is it science fiction? Is Beggars in Spain fantasy? If so, how is it fantasy?

In that both are driven by impossible occurrences and/or imaginary beings and things yes. Those two items pretty much distinguish both Sci-Fi and Fantasy from other fiction. So what would you call Star Wars novels?

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

In that both are driven by impossible occurrences and/or imaginary beings and things yes. Those two items pretty much distinguish both Sci-Fi and Fantasy from other fiction. So what would you call Star Wars novels?

I strongly disagree.. Science Fiction by its name is based on Science (and Technology), the standards being: space travel, time travel, robotics, etc. Fantasy usually deals with the fantastical, namely magic, magical beings, supernatural beings, etc. The Honor Harrington series is Science Fiction it in no way overlaps with Fantasy. The Lord of the Rings is Fantasy it in no way overlaps with Science Fiction. Many stories do overlap, but the two genres are not interchangeable.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by sun surfer

I like the poll options. Will the poll be hidden or open?

Also, what constitutes a repeat category? It would be good to have that clarified beforehand.

We discussed categories such as two non-fiction where one is biography and one is something else, and also how Mystery/Crime and Thriller/Suspense are essentially the same...will "repeats" include either of those?

I don't think we need to establish what counts as a separate category in order to decide whether or not we allow duplicate categories. We can, later, decide whether two suggested categories have so much overlap that they are effectively duplicates, or whether one is a subcategory of another, and so on.

I've been told the difference between Mystery and Thriller is that Mystery is a hunt (protagonist/s must find the bad guy) and Thriller is a chase (the bad guy is after the protagonist/s). Whether those are different enough themes, given the similarity of settings, character types, and literary tropes, is potentially worth discussion; it doesn't matter for the purpose of sorting out "will every month have a different category?"

"Biography" and "other nonfiction" (whatever label we manage to find for it) are obviously two separate categories; the issue becomes "is there enough interest for two different nonfic categories?"

I don't have a neat, concise description of the difference between Fantasy and SF. I could probably go hunting for one--and still come up with several dozen books that fit into both. The "urban fantasy" genre is fast eroding any useful boundary-lines between them; however, there is definitely both a tone-and-style difference and a themes-and-tropes difference between "The Hobbit" and "Beggars in Spain."