Challenges

Life is a challenge. Reading books is a challenge. Finding time for reading books is a challenge. So it should not be surprising that I am participating in some book challenges from now on. Did you really buy all that? Good, good… So here goes:

Completed

What : Read 3 books by authors that you have only read one other.

When : October, November, December 2007

I have discovered some authors this year, and have a lot of seconds on my to-read list. So, here are my choices for the “Seconds Challenge“:

• Everything’s Eventual: Stephan King (Can you believe I had read only one “King”? Well, the first was “The Shining”, and this is the second. Good collection of stories. Which reminds me, I should try reading the “Gunslinger” series.)
• The Relic: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Sorry, it is part of “Book to Movie” challegneg too.)
• The Amber Room: Steve Berry (The first book by Steve Berry I read was “The Templar Legacy”. This is actually the first book Steve Berry wrote. Although the book is thoroughly researched, and very detailed, I found the end a bit too convenient.)

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CompletedWhat : Read at least 3 books which were made into movies.When : September 1 - December 1

Since now-a-days, my blog is awash with books which were (are going to be) converted into movies, I was thinking of making a formal series out of it. Then I discovered the “Book to Movie Challenge“, and thought it would suit me better.I didn’t really watch the movies to go with the book. But here are the books I read:

• The Relic - Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (The book was a very good thriller, and I would love to read the rest of the books in Pendergast series. I was disappointed to know that in the movie Special Agent Pendergast’s role was completely cut. He is really amusing.)
• Dune - Frank Herbert (This book was highly recommended by all and then some Sci-Fi fans. Though the universe is well constructed, somehow I didn’t connect to the book. Kind of like Arthur C. Clarke books, I find them interesting, but they won’t find a place on my Top 5 list.)
• The Mirror Crack’d - Agatha Christie (Typical Christie. As I said, I “found” Miss Marple a bit late, but she is pretty interesting. And I must say, the television movies by BBC based on Agatha Christie novels are really well-made.)
• 1408 - Stephan King (Story, so extra credit. The story was really spooky. So are other stories from the collection, “Everything’s Eventual”, with combination of supernatural spooky and natural ones)

All in all, this challenge (the first ever I participated in) was a very interesting one. I did watch “The Blue Umbrella” for the challenge, but could not get my hands on the book by Ruskin Bond. But I will whole-heartedly recommend the movie to one and all, it has excellent performances, and story is really beautiful. Finally, thanks to Callista for hosting this wonderful challenge.