What's up for 2014?

I know it's barely mid - November, but over the past week or so, in various of my Goodreads reading groups, we've started to a little bit towards what we might like to add to our reading group challenges for 2014. I tried to avoid it, but during a couple of quiet days, I went into my TBR book shelf of about 500 books to see what I might like to start thinking of for next year's challenges.... Only the vaguest notions at this time, but here are some of my considerations..

12 + 2 Reading Group Challenge

Once again, I think I'll try to break it down with a few mysteries, some fiction, some SciFi, Non-Fiction/ Biography and a couple of classics..

Mysteries - In my first cursory look, I put a few down on my 'possibles' list, including the featured on to the left, Lars Kepler's The Hypnotist, one of the fine crop of Scandinavian mysteries, that have come out in recent years. Also possibles are another Swedish mystery, one I've wanted to read for awhile, the first Wallander mystery, Faceless Killers, by Henning Mankell. Continuing with a Scandinavian theme, is Roseanna by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. I've tried a few of the Scandinavian mysteries this past couple of years and for the most part (with a couple of exceptions) haven't been disappointed. A few others added to my possible list include Kate Atkinson's One Good Turn, John le Carré's The Looking Glass War and Colin Cotterill's Thirty -three Teeth.

Science - Fiction/ Fantasy - I enjoyed the SciFi stories I read this past year and always try to read a few each year. It used to be my favourite genre, but over time, has been superseded by Mysteries for some reason. I haven't read any Neil Gaiman but have heard many good things about his materiel. I found Neverwhere at the most recent Rotary Club Book Sale, so had to try it out. I gather it was originally a BBC mini-series, but turned into a novel. It tells the story of an ordinary man thrust into a world he never knew existed, the dark subculture living in the subway stations below London. (Sounded interesting). Also included in my SciFi/ Fantasy possibilities are Scott Westerfield's final instalment in the Leviathan books, Goliath, Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes, Iain M. Banks, Excession, one of his Culture series and Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus.

Non-Fiction - I haven't found any yet. I will take a closer look at my Biographies/ Non-Fiction type books prior to the end of the year, but at the moment my list is too small..

Fiction/ Classics - I think the Fiction/ Classics section will be my major source of books for my 12 + 2 challenge, possibly 6 or 7. My tentative list ranges from Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End, which attracted my interest from the BBC TV mini-series with Benedict Cumberbatch, to Anthony Trollope's Can You Forgive Her, the first in the Palliser books. I've also placed books by C.S. Forester, The General, Graham Greene, The Man Within, D.H. Lawrence, The Prussian Officer, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, V.S. Naipaul, The Mystic Masseur, George Orwell, Coming Up for Air, Jennifer Worth, Call the Mid-wife and Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited. I have to say that some of these selections are due to my lovely wife, not that she suggested them necessarily, but from watching various mini-series or just discussions we have had about actors and books.

Anyway, for today, just a few ideas on what might or might not make it to my 12 + 2 list. Still lots of time to totally re look and rejig this of course. Next Blog, maybe I'll look at my Focus Author challenge or my Alphabetical Mystery author challenge. I've got some possible ideas there.. :0)

Anyway, back to the puppies and my current books; Ian Rankin's Dead Souls and C.J. Sansom's Revelation.