I've always liked reading trilogies or series of books, if only because it makes it easier to decide what i'm going to read next. Lately though, i've been dissatisfied with everything i've come across.
- I've enjoyed The Saga of Recluce by L.E.Modesitt, but have gradually come to realize that he's just telling the same 3 stories or so in different ways. Not that i didn't enjoy them, but still.
- I liked the first couple of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, but after a while it just got to be...too much, like climbing to the top of a long flight of stairs only to discover-- more stairs. I stopped reading when it didn't feel like the story was going anywhere after five books.
- The Wayfarer Redemption was pretty good...for three books. Gave up reading book five, just wasn't interested enough to finish it.

Series i HAVE enjoyed inclued Ender's Game and associated books (Card's other series haven't done as much for me, though), Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos novels and the related books, Robert Sawyer's Quintaglio Trilogy, and the Discworld books.

It seems like the ones i've liked the most either tell their epic story in a fixed number of books, then stop; or alternately tell stories that are only loosely connected but set in the same universe. Maybe i should just stick to trilogies...or stop reading series after the first three books.

Suggestions?

I can think of three good trilogies you might check out, by Robin Hobb. She writes good stories and she wraps up each story arc in three books. The first begins with Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy), the second begins with Ship of Magic (The Liveship Traders trilogy, which is set in the same world but with almost completely different characters), and the third which begins with Fool's Errand (The Tawny Man trilogy, which returns to the main character from the first series).

In the way of ongoing series, longer than three books, I don't feel like Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series (which begins with The Gardens of the Moon has played itself out yet (the 8th book comes out in the States this September).

Well, the Deverry saga by Katharine Kerr are at book 13 by now I think. Well written stuff.
The Honorverse books by David Weber are rather good. The same I can say for the Serrano and the Vatta series by Elizabeth Moon.
David Drake with his books about Daniel Leary are good spaceopera to. If you like a bit "harder" sci-fi there is allways the Dune books by Frank Herbert.

If you liked Steven Brust I would suggest you look at:

Martha Wells: The Element of Fire, The Death of the Necromancer, The Wizard Hunters, The Ships of Air, and The Gate of Gods. All of those are set in the same universe, but only the last three are a series/trilogy.

Scott Lynch: The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies are what he has published thus far in the Gentleman Bastard sequence, which Lynch currently plan to be a series of seven novels.

In terms of sci-fi, I would suggest Robert Charles Wilson's Spin / Axis duology for something more like Card or Sawyer.

Much obliged for the suggestions...added several to the to read list.

Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series is very good. It's way more than three books, but she's pretty good about making them each of them work as a standalone novel.

How about Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel trilogy? She does of course go on past that, but with different main characters. Her characters are wonderful.

It is much easier to keep reading her books for me than to keep reading Robert Jordan and other long series, although I did continue to read the Sara Douglass series - it did start to get a little boring in the last 2 or 3 books.

Meredith Ann Pierce The Darkangel Trilogy

Elizabeth Moon The Deed of Paksenarrion

I was going to Suggest Rhapsody by Elizabeth Haydon. I have liked all the books in that series.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26160...

Also Turning Point by Lisanne Norman though I gave up at the um, 5th book? I really liked the first 4. The 5th seemed to have to re-introduce too much before getting to the point of anything.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14828...

Yes, another Bujold fan! Her Curse of Chalion series is also very good, although I think the first book is the strongest, as often happens. Tanya Huff's Summon the Keeper was a much stronger novel than either of its sequels. Her Confederation of Valor series is equally strong and very good in all of its parts.

I would recommend the following fantasy series:

The Hari Michelson series by Matthew Woodring Stover which includes (1)Heroes Die, (2) Blade of Tyshalle and (3) the upcoming Caine Black Knife (to be released later this year). More of a blend of SF/Fantasy (dealing with a future world in which "actors" transport to a alternative world, where magic is real, and engage in adventures/quests and wars for the amusement of the viewing audience back home. A very interesting series and Hari Michelson is a great character.

I would also recommend George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire (I know, a bit obvious, but I didn't see it mentioned above).

For Urban fantasy, I would recommend Neil Gaiman's American Gods, Anansi Boys and Neverwherenot a trilogy but the books address related themes and settings).

Try Raymond Feist Rift War Saga and Serpent War Saga. All the books are connected to the same universe by different generations.

I agree with a few of the above and added some more, Raymond E Feist; also latest series Conclave of the Shadows and Darkwar Saga , Modesitt; Recluce, Stephen Donaldson; Covenant and gap, Katherine Kerr; Deverry, Robin Hobb; farseer and for Arthur Stephen Lawhead; Pendragon Cycle though not sure about later books.

For a great first contact series, take a look at Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh. If you enjoyed the follow up books to Ender's Game, there's a good chance that Cherryh's exploration of the interaction between the human and the Atevi cultures, and the consequences of their misunderstandings, will appeal to you.

I've read & liked most of the series mentioned here. A few more are:

Gordon R. Dickson's Dorsai series is excellent SF. Worlds of humans that have bred themselves into specialties.

L.E. Modesitt Jr. has an alternate universe set of novels, Ghost of the White Nights & some SF series The Forever Hero Dawn for a Distant Earth, The Silent Warrior, In Endless Twilight & The Ecologic Envoy (each is a book in the series).

Fred Saberhagen has the Empire of the East which is like a prelude to his Swords & Lost Swords books. There's also his Dracula series which is excellent. More like Stoker's Dracula.

The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson is a great read.

The Copper Crown and the rest of the Keltia series is also a great sci fi/space opera/fantasy series.

Joe Abercrombie's First Law series, of which I'm reading the first installment - The Blade Itself - is shaping up to be another great series. I'll let you know when I finish the rest of it but all indications are that it's well worth the time.

J.V Jones has an entertaining little series called The Bakers Boy. Not terribly good, but worth a look. Also, David Weber's War God series. I'm a real fan of that. Robin Hobb also has a fairly new series called The Soldier Son trilogy, very good. Plus, Jim Butcher, the madman that created The Dresden Files, also has a swords and sorcerers fantasy called The Furies of Calderon, which is very good.

If nobody has mentioned the Hyperion series, I do now. I think that that series, which includes Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and Rise of Endymion, is one of the best series I have ever read. Another series that I thought was pretty good was the Night Angel trilogy. It was kind of basic language but it had entertaining characters and a fast-paced plot.

I would second the Hyperion series. Great reading, there!

Also, the Mistborn series mentioned by by Jon (above).

Finally, I would suggest The First Book of Lost Swords Woundhealer's Story and the six that follow.

The Tamir Trilogy by Lynn Flewelling is very good. Also the Nightrunner series by the same author is great.

i would suggest: The Circle Triology by Nora Roberts, or House of night series by P.C Cast, Signs of Seven Trilogy again by Nora Roberts!

I've enjoyed Jennifer Roberson's new Karavans series so far.

A. F. wrote: "I've enjoyed Jennifer Roberson's new Karavans series so far. "

That book, and its sequel in particular - awesome!
Nice to see you appreciating this writer, she's done some wonderful books.

Janny wrote: "A. F. wrote: "I've enjoyed Jennifer Roberson's new Karavans series so far. "

That book, and its sequel in particular - awesome!
Nice to see you appreciating this writer, she's done some wonderful ..."

Yes she has; I love her Del and Tiger series too.

Oh, yes, Roberson's Sword series is just fantastic. Tiger is one of my favorite literary heroes. Her Cheysuli books are also wonderful.

One of my favorite trilogies is the Coyote series. It starts out sci-fi with a space ship to colonize a new planet (Coyote), then has political problems and continues as a wild west sort of westward movement book. Really a lot of fun, and easy to read.

Definitely worth mentioning the Crown of Stars series by Kate Elliot. I love her main characters and her ability to weave together a story. She incorporates a critique of structured religion including some very corrupt people in the church hierarchy, but then balances it with devout characters doing exemplary things.

Gregory Keyes' The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone was very satisfying. I especially liked the transformations of certain characters at the end.

At one point in my life I LOVED Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, but i was much younger then and I haven't reread it lately.

I would love George R.R. Martin more if he would just finish the series! I'm starting to loose faith.

And I'm now very very fond of Ken Scholes Psalms of Isaac, but it's not done yet either. Book 1 is soon to hit paperback and book 2 will be out this fall.

I'm going to go off the beaten trail here, but one sci-fi series that I thoroughly enjoyed reading is Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire trilogy. Although it takes place in the Star Wars universe, it is an absolutely brilliant piece of literature. In my opinion, it is still the unrivaled and reigning masterpiece of the Star Wars line of books. Best part is you don't really need to read any of the other books to enjoy them.

As for fantasy, I would recommend the Elfhunter A Tale Of Alterra, The World That Is trilogy by C.S. Marks. One of the most compelling trilogy of fantasy books I've read in recent years. Needless to say it's an award-winning fantasy series that unfortunately is going under the radar.

I highly recommend these books to anyone looking for a quality read.

The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan, The Demon Child Trilogy by Jennifer Fallon or The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent weeks. These ones are pretty good.

I recommend the following:
Tinker Trilogy by Wen Spencer.
Witch World series by Andre Norton.
Gandalara Cycle by Randall Garrett and Vicki Ann Heydron (Series of 7 books).

Last but not least is a very loose Robert A. Heinlein series in which a mysterious character named Lazarus Long appears.
This series includes:
Methuselah's Children
Time Enough for Love
The Number of the Beast
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
To Sail Beyond the Sunset.
Wiki "Lazarus Long" for a snoot full of info on the unofficial series and the character.

i recommend Animorphs to young sci-fi lovers. or anything by the author K.A Applegate

Tom wrote: "- I liked the first couple of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, but after a while it just got to be...too much, like climbing to the top of a long flight of stairs only to discover-- more stairs. I stopped reading when it didn't feel like the story was going anywhere after five books..."

I totally agree with that assessment!