I'll never, ever ever, start reading another unfinished series! How about you?

[Chêtto]

I've been complaining a lot about Kingkiller Chronicles and Patrick Rothfuss's attitude towards his readers about news from his next book.
Well, my whole opinion is not changed, but who thinks like me, probably should read this:

http://spigana.spektore.lv/2015/04/22...

[Ken]

Whether a series is finished or not, is not a problem for me. If the story is good, I'm going to continue reading all of what is published. If it is not good, well, then I don't want to read the rest of the series anyway.

I don't need or like to have all the loose threads tied in a neat bow at the end of a series. Something like David Brin's Heaven's Reach is a good ending to a series for me - still open, still exploring, still a living world. Gene Wolfe's Solar Cycle leaves more unanswered questions than it leaves answers. And all of them are excellent questions, a few of which the hidden answers can be found by closely reading the text. I love this kind of stuff.

I have no confidence whatsoever in GRRM ever finishing ASoIaF with any hope of a decent ending nor it happening in a timely manner, and frankly I don't care if he ever does. The story just isn't that good.

[Dale]

I still have 3 books (the entire series that was published to the best of my knowledge) and have never been able to find more. The subject was an unseen nasty race of aliens called "Kilroys" that experimented on the people of a colony and left.

[Dale]

And then there are the never-ending series. Not SF, but the Executioner series (Mack Bolan by Don Pendleton originally). I was a faithful reader, but finally got a bit tired after the first 85 books.

[Kateb]

I agree with Kenneth that if I like a series I will read it anyway, if I really like it I buy the paper books and know I will re read it in the future. However I have been stung a few times: an author starts a great series does two books and promises the 3rd. it never appears. aaaaahhh
Then if an author I like says they are doing a trilogy I buy the books but don't read until I have the set. Kate Elliott I am looking at you!!!!

[Trike]

Dale wrote: "And then there are the never-ending series. Not SF, but the Executioner series (Mack Bolan by Don Pendleton originally). I was a faithful reader, but finally got a bit tired after the first 85 bo..."

That's sort of a different kettle of fish.

There are serials, where it's all one big story (LotR, Game of Thrones, etc.) and then there are series, where you can start with any book because each installment is self-contained. The latter are exemplified by Tom Swift, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and so on.

Some books, particularly mysteries but technothrillers also do this quite a bit, are a hybrid. They will reference things that have gone before but that particular installment is a stand-alone. There aren't any cliffhangers at the end.

It's the unfinished serials that I hate. They basically end on a cliffhanger each time. "And the murderer is-"

And then nothing.

[Doc]

I am in the midst of several series I have been following for years, so I am reluctant to begin a new one unless:
It is related to a book or series I quite like
It is by a favorite author
The premise is, for me, irresistible
An example of the last: His Majesty's Dragon.
One other factor, I'm getting comparatively old, life-expectancy-wise. Some series I'm reading will continue long after I don't. I figure I might as well read what I can while I can.

[Igor]

The Stormlight Archive... too good not to be read right away.

[Phrynne]

Igor wrote: "The Stormlight Archive... too good not to be read right away."

I think he plans ten books for this one? He needs to get a move on or I won't be here by the time he finishes. He might not either :)

[Aaron]

Phrynne wrote: "Igor wrote: "The Stormlight Archive... too good not to be read right away."

I think he plans ten books for this one? He needs to get a move on or I won't be here by the time he finishes. He might ..."

Sanderson is fairly reliable, the problem is according to his blog it takes him 9-10months to write a Stormlight book, and after that he wants to write other things for like a year, his other books take 1-4months each.

[Brenda]

Keep in mind that time is never a friend. He can keep up that rate of production now, this year, next year. But nobody knows when some outside crisis will hit -- an illness, a death in the family, a hurricaine. And the writing is the first thing that stops in that kind of calamity.

[Becky]

Brandon Sanderson highly values his fans and tries to do everything he can to get his books out in a timely manner. He has a method and it works for him, and I think it works for his books. He talked about it at an event I attended, and writing something else in between drafts helps cleanse the palate, and gives him fresh perspective. I'm willing to wait a few years for his books if the end result is as good as Mistborn or Stormlight. Hell yeah.

[Igor]

Yes, 10 books but we'll see, I surely hope so :-)

[K.]

Did Jordan finish WoT? Part of being afraid to continue where I left off is the fear he didn't finish it.

[Becky]

K. wrote: "Did Jordan finish WoT? Part of being afraid to continue where I left off is the fear he didn't finish it."

No, Brandon Sanderson wrote the last three books.

[Neal]

I will not start a series unless it's finished. I learned this with the WoT series...that took 20 years and two authors to "finish." GAH! never again. R.R. Martin seems to be the heir apparent.

"If I stay on schedule, I ought to finish A Song of Ice and Fire by the end of 1998," GRRM is quoted as replying, "but don't hold your breath."

Yeah, dude, you're almost 20 years late finishing the series you said you'd finish, yet aren't even close to finish. LOL

[Phrynne]

Becky wrote: "K. wrote: "Did Jordan finish WoT? Part of being afraid to continue where I left off is the fear he didn't finish it."

No, Brandon Sanderson wrote the last three books."

And he did it very well!!!

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

It's great if a series has an end date, but I still will read unfinished. I'm too much of a series addict to avoid that!