This is my working list for the r/Fantasy Book Bingo Challenge. Right now only four categories are completed which I have indicated, but I created a rough draft for how I think it’s going to play out.
Literary Fantasy or Non-Fantasy - The High King by Lloyd Alexander. It’s full of positive themes and based on Welsh mythology, so I’d say it counts.
Stand Alone Fantasy Novel -
Historical Fantasy -
Novel by an Author on r/Fantasy’s Women in Fantasy List - Freedom’s Choice by Anne McCaffrey. It’s more on the Sci-fi end of the spectrum, but I think fantasy will work with it as well and this author is on that list. Too bad that I read my first Elizabeth Bear novel in March, otherwise I would use that one.
An Author’s Debut Novel - By the Light of the Moons by Rob Vitaro. He did an AMA a few weeks back and his debut was a free download.
Novel by An r/Fantasy AMA Author - Night of Wolves by David Dalglish. Free download for Kindle and I’ve read his first Half-Orc novel which I enjoyed.
Novel Originally Written in a Language Other Than English – Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. My fiancée has this book on our shelf and another user pointed out that it was allegedly written in German first.
A Novel Over 500 Pages - Shaman’s Crossing by Robin Hobb. I’m feeling some trepidation with this one, but all my other fantasy tomes are being used for more essential categories.
Pre-Tolkien Fantasy - Wood Beyond the World by William Morris. This is a short novel that was free, but it was written in 1894 and I’m not sure how archaic the language will be.
A Novel From r/Fantasy’s Official Underrated and Under-read List - Shadowmarch by Tad Williams. It was the only novel on the list I already own, so this is the best spot for it.
Fairytaly Retelling -
Portal Fantasy – In the Land of Magnanthia by B.R. Mall. I know nothing about the novel or the author, but it had been a free download.
Free Space - The Orc of Many Questions by Shane Michael Murray. Another free download I know nothing about.
Novel Adapted to the Screen (Movie or TV) - A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin. I wasn’t sure what else I would put here, so George Martin it is.
Published Before the Year 2000 - Time and the Gods by Lord Dunsany. Another free, short novel. Written in 1906.
Self Published Novel - The Flight of the Griffin by C.M. Gray. Most of my free Kindle downloads are probably self-published, but one of them has to go here.
2015 r/Fantasy Best of Lists: Novel or Author - Perelandra by C.S. Lewis. Another one that’s at bit Sci-fi being in his Space Trilogy, but it does read more like a fantasy in space with Christian themes.
Comic Fantasy - Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett. I almost feel ashamed putting Pratchett here since his the obvious choice, but I’m trying to work my way through all of Discworld in chronological order.
A Novel You First Heard of From an r/Fantasy Member - The Scars of Ambition by Jason Letts. Perhaps I’m a cheating a bit, but I searched the word “free” in this sub and a post by the author came up from when he was giving away some copies. Turns out it just happens to be free now on Amazon, so I grabbed it. Hey…I wouldn’t have heard of this if it was for r/Fantasy.
Arthurian Fantasy - The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights by Sir James Knowles. Free, of course. And written in 1862. I may read J.R.R. Tolkien’s telling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight instead.
Award Winning Novel (Hugo, Nebula or World Fantasy) - Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. The Fantasy Bingo post said Stabbies count! I need to read King of Thorns first which sadly won’t count for any category, but I’m sure I’ll enjoy both.
Novel Published in 2015 - The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan. Another one that has a prerequisite. I neither own this one at the moment, nor have I read The Crimson Campaign yet. Subject to change.
Five Fantasy Short Stories - Dragon Maiden by Andrea Stewart, The Truth of Rock and Roll by Matthew Keville, The Smoky Dragon by Brandon Berntson, Fear & Sunshine by Donovan Scherer, and one more. Thanks to /r/FreeEBOOKS for all of these free downloads are many of the others on this list. I’m sure I’ll find one more story between now and next February. :P
Any r/Fantasy Goodreads Group Book of the Month - Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. This is also a large novel like a few others on my list, but it’s the only one I own for this category. I read Prince of Thorns last month, but even if I wanted to use that one I’d have to find another author for the Award category then.
Urban Fantasy (That is Not Dresden Files) - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. Hey, it counts. Fairies and a young criminal genius in a modern day Die-Hard-esq showdown.
So this is my planned list for the challenge, though a few books could obviously change. I apologize for the long post. If anyone actually read through it, let me know what you think!
Looking for suggestions for the three blank categories, preferably free downloads.