Join me in the Red Room to find out what's in store!

2010 is coming up fast and I have some ideas brewing about in my head for our exploration of the galaxy.   Throughout the voyage I'll be posting Author Spotlights on science fiction and fantasy authors, ones that I love and have been reading for many years and also new to me authors I read and discover during the challenge.   For instance, I just discovered Mark Charon Newton who wrote Nights of Villjamur and was named one of the top five reads for 2009 by Speculative Horizons. I will be arranging some guest author interviews and a few book giveaways.  

I would also like all of you who are participating to give some thought to being a guest blogger.   Each of you has something unique to bring to the voyage and it would be interesting to hear about your favorite authors or books, what attracted you to reading Science Fiction and Fantasy or recommendations for books to read.   Also, if you know of an author, writer, publisher, or a visitor from outer space whom you know would love to be a guest blogger or you would like to interview, then by all means ask them, set it up and let me know.   I'm a pretty flexible person and don't have a set schedule for posts, and plan on posting at least once a week,  but don't worry about messing up any schedules.   My posts are spontaneous and off the cuff, generally something that came to mind in the middle of the night. 

I'll be writing about interesting discoveries and challenges related to science fiction and fantasy that I find around the blogosphere.   Such as Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings who is planning on joining the challenge.   Every year during the months of January and February he hosts the Sci fi Experience which all about the pleasure of totally exploring the worlds of science fiction. It is a casual challenge, thing, experience, undertaking, whatever you want to call it,  in which you set your own reading goals and shot for the stars.

There are a couple challenges I found that blend right in with the Mind Voyages challenge of exploring new books,  which call me crazy, I will be joining as well.   BookChickCity is hosting a year long Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge so I will definitely be reading Mark's book among others.   

and Royal Reviews is hosting a Fantasy Reading Challenge for the year which encompasses Science Fiction Fantasy as well. I know I'll end up reading a few sci fi fantasy books

And for those of you hoping to take a side trip reading the 2010 Hugo nominees, Katster is a Hugo voter.  She will be letting us know sometime in March who the top five 2010 Hugo nominees are so we can read them as well.

I'm looking forward to an interesting year of reading and happy to say Santa will be delivering a few Science Fiction books under our tree this year.   What books do you think you will be getting in your Christmas Stocking?

I'm going all the way to Pluto and may never return.

I'm going to Pluto because Pluto is still a planet as far as I'm concerned Voyage. 

I'll be concentrating primarily on the Hugo Winners from 1946 to 1963 with a few thrown in that strike my fancy plus those I have on my shelves currently.(which are in italics)  I'll be making multiple side trips through the galaxy, and dipping into the Heinlein Quest and Philip K. Dick quest. Plus I'll also be exploring new books which are yet to be determined.  

Hugo Winners

Farmer in the Sky - Robert Heinlein (1951)
The Demolished man - Alfred Bester (1953)
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury (1954)
They'd Rather Be Right - Mark Clifton (1955)
Double Star - Robert Heinlein (1956) 
The Big Time - Fritz Leiber (1958)
A Case of Conscience - James Blish ( 1959)
Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlein (1960)
A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M. Miller  (1961)
Stranger in a Strange Land (1962)
Dune - Frank Herbert (1966)
To your Scattered Bodies Go - Philip Jose Farmer (1972)
The Vor Game - Lois McMaster Bujold ( 1991)



Side Tripping 70's Style with Clifford Simak


A choice of Gods - Clifford Simak 
Project Pope - Clifford Simak


Robert Heinlein Quest  

Friday -Robert A Heinlein
Glory Road -Robert A Heinlein


Philip K. Dick Quest

The Man in the High Castle (hugo 1963)
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said



My ship is all fueled up, I have my provisions packed and I'm ready to blast off and explore the galaxy.   Looking forward to meeting up with those also exploring the galaxy and hearing about the books you are exploring.  
 

Sign Up for Mind Voyages Participants

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Welcome To Mind Voyages Science Fiction Reading Challenge

Mind Voyages

Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Challenge
January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 

Hosted by Robin of My Two Blessings

Science fiction and fantasy books have always been my one true love ever since I read my first sci fi book back in the 70's.  Whether it was Edgar Rice Burroughs, Arthur Clark, Ray Bradbury, Larry Niven, Piers Anthony, Anne McCaffrey or Robert Silverberg who captured me first, I don't remember.   When I recently came across the Hugo Award Web site,  the list of winners made my mouth water and tickled my imagination.   All the books on the list looked so good that I decided to read through the list, starting with the oldest.  But all those who were nominated looked too good to pass up, so decide okay, will take some side trips and read some of the nominees.   Other ideas started popping up in my brain.  That's what the sci-fi and fantasy genre does to you - expands your mind and gives you ideas.  

Science Fiction and Fantasy - what do you think of when you hear those words?  I think of books with adventure, exploration, mind altering worlds, knights, dragons, cool space ships, alternate realities, magical quests, new technology,  evil villains and heroes.  Books that entertain and enlighten, books that take you away, books that take you on a voyage - a mind voyage.

So come take a mind voyage with me - explore the hugo and nebula winners, take side trips through the different decades reading the nominees, check out Philip K. Dick and Robert Heinlein.    Plus, since I like a wide variety of books and like to explore, can't possibly imagine a reading challenge without exploring new releases that come out in 2010.

Voyages

Moon Voyage :  Read at least 6 winners on the Hugo Winners List

Sling shot back to Earth:  Read at least  3 winners on the Nebula Winner's List

Venus Voyage:   Philip K. Dick Quest  - Read at least 2 of his books

Mercury  Voyage:   Robert Heinlein Quest - Read at least 2 of his books

Mars Voyage:   Read at least 6 winners on the Hugo List and take a side trip through the 21st century and read at least 4 nominees.

Go into Warp Drive and visit the other planets


Jupiter Voyage:   Go side tripping 90's Style

Saturn:  Go Side Tripping 80's Style

Uranus: Go Side Tripping 70's Style

Neptune Voyage:  Go Side Tripping through the 50's and 60's

The I'm going to Pluto because Pluto is still a planet as far as I'm concerned Voyage:   Mix it up, choose the number of books you want to read from each voyage, include some new books you pick up along the way and enjoy the ride.

Browse through the links in the link bar above to see what books are listed.  All the links for the books are for informational purposes only and not associated with amazon affiliates.


 The Rules are simple:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.  
2. Participants may join at any time.
3. All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc.
4. Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2010.
5. Books may overlap other challenges.
   
6. Create an entry post linking to this blog. 
7. You don't have to decide before hand what you will be reading. 
8. Come back and sign up with Mr. Linky in the "I'm participating post" below this post.
9. You don't have a blog to participate. 
10. I'll be adding a post with Mr. Linky for participants to post book reviews.
    

Looking forward to the challenge and having fun.  If you have any suggestions, recommendations, or questions, please email me.

Book Review Posts

This post is where you will link to your book reviews for the Challenge. Please post a link to the specific book review post rather than your general web address.
Please add the title of the book in parentheses after your name, so will know the name of book review linking to.