Jan. 2011: Avempartha / Stand alone or read in series

[Michael]

Just curious if people read Avempartha by itself, or if they read Crown Conspiracy first. If you read just Avempartha did you feel like adequate information from Crown Conspiracy was provided?

[Chris]

I read TCC first, and I'm glad I did. There were some references in Avempartha that I would have missed without doing so.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

I also read Crown Conspiracy first, and I'm also glad I did. Not just because of references I may have missed, but because parts in Avempartha essentially tells you what happened in TCC, and if I hadn't read it first, I might be a bit annoyed, actually.

[stormhawk]

I read Crown Conspiracy first also. I was expecting there to be spoilers in Avempartha, and I was not mistaken. I don't think TCC would have been as exciting a read if I had known the ending before I got there.

[Michael]

Hopefully someone who read only Avempartha will show up...but I'm glad you al read both. I try to keep "backward references" to a minmum (just tell you the basics that you need to know) so you won't get bored - yes people who read out of order will have some things spoiled for them but it is necessary to give context in future books from past history.

It's kind of funny because there are many "back references" made that you'll notice in later books - i.e. things in Crown and Avempartha that pre-date Crown but poeple don't realize that they will come into play....yet.

[Jim]

I read Avempartha first & then The Crown Conspiracy without a problem. It's been a while, so I checked my review & found this:

...This book does reference the first many times & Michael hands out just enough information so that I don't feel I'm in the dark, but if I had read the first, I wouldn't feel like I was re-reading a lot either. He spaces it out & let's me know what I need to know, as I need to know it. Very well done.

[Carrie (Care)]

I read Avempartha first as well. I didn't feel lost while reading it, and I felt I enjoyed the characters even though this was the first time I was introduced to them.

I then went and read CC and even though I knew a lot of what happened in it, I still could enjoy it. I do think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it first though. Since I knew what was going to happen there was no anticipation. I did like reading the characters interactions though, it gave me more insight to them.

[Adam]

I read them in order. I like the way Crown is kind of fun and quick and Avempartha seems to be a bit "richer" and like it is "digging in more". Does anyone else feel that way?