Here are the rules. Whoever is "it" shall describe the plots of 3 books. The first person to guess all three is the winner, and becomes "it" and sets the next puzzle. Each puzzle should have a theme, and should increase in difficulty with 1 being easiest and 3 being hardest. All books listed should be "known" books, and should not be *totally* impossible to Google. Keep in mind we want this game to keep moving. The point is not to stump everyone.
I'll go first.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
THEME: Games and Game-Playing.
1) Several people of various ages and backgrounds all receive the news that a great man has been murdered, and that one of them is the murderer. Whoever uncovers the identity of the murderer will receive the great man's fortune as a reward. They all must use their various skills and interests to try to solve the mystery and receive the reward.
2) A good and well-regarded man of considerable wealth suddenly loses everything, including his children, in a series of bizarre occurances which can only be described as supernatural. He maintains a positive outlook.
3) A librarian engages in a series of ever-more-dangerous games with a mysterious benefactor who leaves her riddles in the form of a series of letters. Every time she solves a riddle and overcomes a danger, she receives a new riddle and an increased monetary reward. Along the way some of the dangers she faces are: a statue, an attack dog, and cannibals.
Posted by Jeesh (Member # 9163) on :
1- The Westing Game
Posted by Edgehopper (Member # 1716) on :
2 - The Book of Job (He didn't say they had to be novels, did he?)
Posted by Soara (Member # 6729) on :
How do you determine who's "it" next if no one guesses all 3?
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
I think the first person to list all three in one post gets to be "it".
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
Right. And both of those were correct. Now someone just needs to get #3.
Posted by firebird (Member # 1971) on :
I wanna play your game but I just can't get it! :-(
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
Okay, well, let's just move on. #3 was 'In The Dark' by Richard Laymon. Whoever wants to be "it" next, go ahead and post the next puzzle. It's a freebie.
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
1) A girl, fed up with her mother, goes out into the desert. Aided by a furry friend, she finds a mysterious skeleton. Adventures ensue!
2) A young man with a strong aptitude for puzzles finds himself caught up in things beyond his ken. It's all tied up with a strange birthmark, a musical instrument, and a race of creatures from the sea . . .
3) A young woman of noble birth is trained in the ancient religion of her island, only to discover that she lives in a time when that religion will be sorely challenged. An accidental incestuous relationship complicates matters.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
#2 -- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. #3 -- Tombs of Atuan
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
Oooh, no . . . but I can kind of see those, actually. I will say that the second book is by an author somewhat reminiscient of Ursual K. LeGuin, though . . .
Clues:
1) Main character's name begins with a T. 2) Main characer's name begins with an M. 3) Main character's name is the same as number 2. Ooooh.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
#2 -- Riddlemaster of Hed
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
Yes! Good job.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Is #3 Heir of Sea and Fire? Too long ago since I read it . . .
Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
#1 The Book of Ti'ana (wild guess) #2 Riddlemaster of Hed #3 Heir of Sea and Fire
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
Nope, #3 is an entirely different author and book. But quite well known, probably better than The Riddlemaster of Hed. #1 is really obscure, but also really fantastic.
I will say that #3 has at its heart a very common story. Told and retold a million different ways. And #1 was not written by Terry Brooks. Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
#3 Manchu
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
Think of weather for #3
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I'm sorry, but #2 fits The Goblet of Fire. I claim credit for it.
Posted by Jeesh (Member # 9163) on :
Harry doesn't have an apptitude for puzzles.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Harry has a scar, not a birthmark. And what's the musical instrument in GoF? I'm sure there is one but my memory's not that good.
Posted by orlox (Member # 2392) on :
#3 Mists of Avalon
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
mr._porteiro_head, I am very sorry, but I was not trying to indicate Goblet of Fire with #2. The aptitude for puzzles (I couldn't very well use the word riddles), birthmark (three stars), musical instrument (harp) and race of people from the sea ****SPOILER ALERT**** NEEENOOONEEENOOOO
*****Earthmasters*******
make it a better fit for Riddlemaster.
#2 is indeed Riddlemaster of Hed (Uprooted) #3 is Mists of Avalon, yay! (orlox)
#1 - a few more clues. It is obscure, but I love it so.
The main character and the author share the first three letters of their names. The first letter is a T.
"Bone. Found a bone."
The book is the first in a trilogy.
The second word of all three books in the trilogy is the same, but the first varies although they are all of a certain type. All titles are two words.
**EDIT: all titles IN THE SERIES that #3 is in are 2 words.
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
I can't believe #3 isn't Manchu. Look at the description. A young woman of noble birth on an island (Japan) and an incestuos relationship. Sounds exactly the same to me. edit: ok I read the description too fast. It wasn;t an incestuous relationship.
Posted by Carl Conrad Coreander (Member # 7851) on :
That first one must be REALLY obscure. No amount of googling is helping. Tell us a little about the 'furry friend'. thethiefhekindlyspoke.pbwiki.com
[ June 04, 2007, 06:57 PM: Message edited by: Carl Conrad Coreander ]
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
The furry friend is a pet peeve.
Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
The furry friend is something that gets on the main character's nerves? Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
Ohhhhhhh the creature is called a pet peeve (thank you google).
#1 Black Unicorn #2 Riddlemaster of Hed #3 Mists of Avalon
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
Woohoo! TheSeeingHand wins! Choose your three plots . . .
Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
#1 This book is about an architect. He is very talented and passionate about his work but has a unique style that offends many in a world where tradition is considered best.
#2 This book is about a man writing a book on the dropping of the atomic bomb. The book features a religion based on lies and a deadly ice.
#3 This book is about three children who disguise themselves as concierges because they were falsely accused of being arsonists and murderers.
EDIT: #1 is vague. More clue: The main character has an affair with the daughter of a popular architect. The main character must also fight against the beliefs of a popular newspaper.
[ September 04, 2006, 04:37 PM: Message edited by: TheSeeingHand ]
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
#1 The Agony and the Ectasy # 2 A Canticle for Leibowitz
I dunno, I'm making this up as I go.
Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
1. Nah, but it was kind of vague so I don't blame you. Good guess. 2. Nope.
[ September 04, 2006, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: TheSeeingHand ]
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
3) The Penultimate Peril, by Lemony Snicket
Posted by Dasa (Member # 8968) on :
1) Fountainhead
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
2. Cat's Cradle
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
#3 is Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, no?
Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
Raia got #3, Gasa got #1, blacwolve got #2.
So, who wins? No one put all 3 answers in the same post.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
Quick, somebody put all three answers in the same post...
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
I alreay did one, I'm don't think I should be allowed!
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
j/k... sigh I'm not literate (literary?) enough to ever win...
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
Man, I could've gotten two if I read this in time. I love that book.
[ September 05, 2006, 05:40 PM: Message edited by: GaalDornick ]
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
K, vonk, post three plots!
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Alright, even though I completely didn't earn it, I'll post some plots. But only because no one else did.
1) A boy walks a long ways to buy two dogs. They grow up together and learn valuable life lessons until one dog gets eaten and the other dies of a broken heart. (too easy, but I love that book)
2) After her husband dies a woman has to handle all of the wacky/creepy things he did while he was doing interior decorating as well as his freakily eccentric family. After going past the brink of madness and painting a series of paintings she never sees she realizes that she has been caught up in a bizarre, supernatural family secret on which the entire beach community's future rests. A hotel burns down and the woman escapes with her daughter. Or does she? (I'm pretty sure I got that right, but if this sounds really familiar, only a little off, your probably right.)
3) A couple meets at a resort hotel and fall in love. They raise a family while the father tours the coast with a performing bear. The family opens a couple of hotels, have somewhat disturbing sexual escapades, some die, some go blind, all do generally crazy, entertaining and charming stuff.
Sorry if these are too detailed [edit: or not detailed enough], but I was having a really hard time just keeping them as short as they are. Good luck, they shouldn't be too hard. If hints are needed, they will be given.
[edit to try to make it more coherent]
[ September 06, 2006, 04:11 PM: Message edited by: vonk ]
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
1) Where the Red Fern Grows! (cries to herself)
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
So, do ya'll need hints or are we just finished playing?
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
If I had a guess, I'd guess.
Posted by Stray (Member # 4056) on :
Gah...I know I just saw #2 not long ago, like I was reading the cover blurb in the library or a bookstore or something...is it by Chuck Palahniuk?
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Okay, in the interest of keeping the game going, here are some hints:
2) This author is most popular with men in their twenties. His first novel was made into a movie by 20th Century Fox within the last ten years. This is actually his only novel that is not being optioned for a movie. The one word title is a kind of book.
3) The name of the first hotel the family opens is the name of the novel. It also includes the name of the state that they live in in the US. The state is not old but is in New England.
I hope that helps Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Stray - why yes, yes it is.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Hotel California?
Posted by Stray (Member # 4056) on :
Okay, then #2 is Diary.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
yay! Stray is correct. Unfortunately MPH is not. But you did get one word right! You're a third of the way there.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
The Hotel New Hampshire.
(I cheated a bit, though...)
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Now all we need is for someone to put all three answers in one post... (hint, hint) Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
If other titles have been guessed correctly, and then you guess another, list them all in your guess! Then, if you're right, you'll have won.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Haha I don't do that because I don't want to be the one posting titles. I like guessing.
Posted by katdog42 (Member # 4773) on :
1) Where the Red Fern Grows
2) Diary
Posted by katdog42 (Member # 4773) on :
1) Where the Red Fern Grows
2) Diary
3) The Hotel New Hampshire
I actually don't feel like I'm cheating too much. I knew the first and third immediately (as disturbing as the book is at some points, I actually really like Hotel New Hampshire, along with most of Irving's writing, "Keep passing the open windows"). Mostly, I just want to see this thread continue (even though I don't always get to check it much).
Posted by katdog42 (Member # 4773) on :
I don't so much have a theme, but here go some clues.
1. Environmental activist spends a weekend in New Hampshire, runs into a bit of trouble when his drunk, high daughter picks up something she shouldn't and much trouble ensues until the family gets a dog from the humane society.
2. Two siblings wind up in the middle of a popular bible story and have to find a way out before things get very wet.
3. A young man and his cat strike it big with a new invention and decide to have a good nap but wake up to find that they have been cheated out of money by an old girlfriend.
Posted by Samarkand (Member # 8379) on :
2) Many Waters by Madeline L'Engle
Posted by katdog42 (Member # 4773) on :
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
I like guessing.