This blog was meant to chronicle my time spent training for my first marathon while at the same time reading through every Hugo Award winning novel in as many weeks as there are winners, or the other way around. Being that there are 64 Hugo winners, including the retros, this meant that had I stayed on schedule the entire time, I would have finished reading every Hugo novel ever, yesterday. Anyone keeping track (to my knowledge this is just me, and that is only sometimes), knows that this has not happened. In fact, I still have yet to finish eight more Hugo's.
Books like Cyteen, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell, and the Mars Trilogy, combined with a ton of really poor excuses (which I'm going to lean pretty heavily on anyway) to pretty seriously delay progress at several points over the last few months and even though I'm so near the end, I know that I have a couple of whammies that could still make my life difficult.
At the same time, listening to audiobooks more than I ever thought I would, has also allowed me to make some good time when I otherwise would not have been able to. Currently, I've started, and found many excuses not to dig into, Paladin of Souls and I'm also about two-thirds through American Gods audiobook.
Continuing progress notwithstanding, I have obviously failed meeting my reading goal for this challenge.
The silver lining here is that there are about two maybe three people actually reading anything I write here, and fewer people who care, so I'm thinking no one will really hold it over my head and I can just keep chugging until I get there. Except for myself. You know I'm going to lord it over myself every chance I get.
So, I'm hoping that, if I haven't upset the SF gods too much, I will have an amended goal within the next few days. I should be telling you all how disappointed I am, I am I assure you, but the writing has been on the wall since somewhere around week two, so I've had some time to come to terms with my inadequacies (see first sentence). In terms of the stages of grief, I'm well into Shoving Down Emotions and Proceeding as if Everything is Fine (probably because of all the "handshakefullness" workshops I've been attending).
Light up the comments if you'd like. I deserve it. But know that I'm still going strong, just slower. And to those of you who have been around since the early days AND to those of you who continue to leave comments and encouragement: THANKS AND PLEASE STICK AROUND!
Oh, and if you see my wife around, remind her how patient and forgiving she is :-)
Hey Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteDon't be so hard on yourself. You are a lot closer than I'd ever be. I tell people I'm doing the Hugo Challenge, carefully avoiding the word "Endurance." I'm unemployed and have been focusing on the books before 1980. I have two to go to complete that. I've also focused on the naughts. So I have about 30 to go. And considering they are post-1980, they'll generally be much longer books. I began this last year by accident after reading Norell and rereading a few I had read in college. I took a break when I read 7 pern books and found a couple of Hugo short works winner volumes. I didn't even know a challenge existed until I found your blog.
Your blog has been an inspiration to me. Once I found it, it made me feel like I had a compatriot in this effort. Your blog also gives me a preview of a book, then I can agree or disagree with your review. You finally inspired me to begin my own reviews. I wrote 8 yesterday. I don't know if I'm going to blog them, since I have over over 20 left to review, some dating back to March of 2012. They may be simply, "I liked this book, it had a good beat, I give it a 92." (old reference to American Bandstand).
Anyway, cheers to you for the challenge and being ONLY 8 books over, while training for and running a marathon, and have a family and a job! Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to your reviews of Spin and Rainbows End. - Steve
Thank you for all those kind words Stephen! Honestly, I am upset not to make the goal, but not too much because hey, I really enjoy doing this :) Prolonging this for a little bit just means more fun.
DeleteAlso, I've been sitting on my review of Rainbows End for almost 2 weeks now. I'm really struggling with it.
I wasn't too pleased with Rainbows End. I love conspiracies, but I found this one hard to follow. I'm noticing a trend: I'm enjoying older science fiction, despite the racism, sexism, and homophobia that's rampant in many of those novels. They're simple, but imaginative. The newer books seem to be trying too hard, in form and in concept.
DeleteCheer up, man! And keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThis has been a great resource. Keep it up if you can!
ReplyDeleteYou always were way too hard on yourself! Give it a rest. You are the only person I know that has ever come close to following through on a New Year's resolution. 8 behind is not bad plus it is really only like 4 behind.Didn't your 64 weeks end in March? Plus I know you have to make time for your My little pony addiction.
ReplyDeleteI didn't start until the last week in January so...don't make me count them again! If I'm a week off it doesn't really matter. I knew a couple months ago that I couldn't finish and I stopped trying in favor of studying and spending care free time with Ali.
Delete8 short, but really only 4?! I am so impressed with this project, and your endurance with it... we'll be seeing you at the finished line! and with no regrets--some of those books are ridiculously long, some dense, and it is your reading of it and writing about it that has been to all our benefit.
ReplyDelete~L
Thanks a lot L! And no, 4 wasn't quite write. Still just over a handful to go...
DeleteBooks take long to read. Don't beat yourself up.
ReplyDeleteThat's my new motto :)
Delete"3" may be understated.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm impressed, regardless.
Thanks Emil.
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