Is it just me, or...

[Wan]

If I didn't have Goodread to refer to, I wounldn't know how to keep up with all the series out there. I'm starting at least 50 new series, this year. Fun fun.

[Cmkage]

Wan ~DragonsWan~ wrote: "If I didn't have Goodread to refer to, I wounldn't know how to keep up with all the series out there. I'm starting at least 50 new series, this year. Fun fun."

I use goodreads and I have a list on my computer, but I still feel like I'm slowly losing track of the many series I'm reading. :)

[Michelle]

Sarah ~Slow reader, or slowly reading? ;) wrote: "Does anyone else get discouraged when a book series has more than 10 books? I feel like when I see books with 15-20+ books in the series, that they just aren't worth reading because of the excessiv..."

Yes it depends on the author, must can't go that long but a few can. Sherrilyn Kenyon is one in my opinion who can keep going. Christine Feehan on the otherhand needs to stop her Carpathians; several books ago.

[new_user]

I would say yes, definitely, I don't see the appeal of long series. They're usually episodic with little substantial overarching plot, but as you see, there are a lot of people who do enjoy them. To each his own, LOL.

[Jenny]

I'm about to stard In Death Series. How do you like it? And I'm OCD about reading them in order - Do you really have to read them in order on this series?

I have read almost everyone one of the In Death Series, and no you don't really need to read them in order, if you do you see how the characters evolve with starting at the beginning and work your way through. I really like the series but I would say read a few them go to something else and come back. They aren't the same book but they do follow a very similar format with each book.

[Akaria]

I love series but book 5 is usually when things start to go downhill for me. Character voices start to blend. Gaps in worldbuilding become more noticeable. Plots seem to become recycled.

I'm really wary of series with 10+ books. LOTU is the only series I'm committed to seeing through to the end because she basically set it up from book one that we'd have 12 warriors to pair off and I'm dying for Cameo and Torin's HEAs.

[Wan]

Jenny wrote: "I'm about to stard In Death Series. How do you like it? And I'm OCD about reading them in order - Do you really have to read them in order on this series?

I have read almost everyone one of the In..."

Thanks Jenny.

[Wan]

Akaria wrote: "I'm really wary of series with 10+ books. LOTU is the only series I'm committed to seeing through to the end because she basically set it up from book one that we'd have 12 warriors to pair off and I'm dying for Cameo and Torin's HEAs.
..."

I'm rooting for them two too. And I hope they'd end up together.

[Michelle]

Akaria wrote: "Character voices start to blend. Gaps in worldbuilding become more noticeable. Plots seem to become recycled."

Those are *huge* issues! Especially character voices blending.

I think it's hard for an author who's writing a successful series to begin something new, probably because they become so enmeshed with their characters and their world.

I can't imagine how difficult it would be for J.K. Rowling to come up with a new book or even a new series. The pressure must be terrible :P

[Cmkage]

Michelle L. wrote: "Akaria wrote: "Character voices start to blend. Gaps in worldbuilding become more noticeable. Plots seem to become recycled."

Those are *huge* issues! Especially character voices blending.

I thi..."

There is supposed to be a new book from JK Rowling soon though. For adults this time.

I can understand though if a author doesn't want to give up a successful series. After all, there is no guarantee if the next books will be just as successful. But for me it all depends on how well the series is planned. Most of the time you can tell if the author allowed for many books from the beginning or if they are just adding book after book without planning ahead.. Take Psy/Changelings for example. Last book (#10) was a couple that has been hinted at in the very first book (and pretty much mentioned in every book since then). Also, the overall arch with the Psy Council, the ghost etc. is still going strong and far from resolved.

HP is another example. It was always supposed to be 7 books and JKR stuck to that plan. As much as I would like to read another HP book, it just wouldn't be the same since all the major storylines are already solved.

[[deleted user]]

The best reason I can describe why I love series is because I love epic tales. After some thought I realized what I like about the ones I continue to read and others I lose interest in. HP is the best example of that execution. We all knew what the end goal was and who the final enemy would be. We saw character growth and an advancement towards the final goal. When an author just creates a world and writes from that world for countless books with no end in sight I lose interest. I love Cat and Bones in the Night Huntress series, but I just can't see where it's going. This is the case for all the series I read. I want a common enemy or goal for all the books to be heading toward.

[Wan]

Cmkage wrote: "Wan ~DragonsWan~ wrote: "If I didn't have Goodread to refer to, I wounldn't know how to keep up with all the series out there. I'm starting at least 50 new series, this year. Fun fun."

I use good..."

Yeah. I also have to keep a spreadsheet just for my reading log.

[Abby]

I'm reading 25 different series at the moment... and there'll probably be more to add to it as the year goes on... If it wasn't for GR I wouldn't know what I'd read, or what I want to read lol ... I tend to read one book per series at a time so I don't get bored with them.... I'm at a point right now though where I don't know what to read... I need a new series I think lol

[PepperP0t]

Wan ~DragonsWan~ wrote: "Cmkage wrote: "Wan ~DragonsWan~ wrote: "If I didn't have Goodread to refer to, I wounldn't know how to keep up with all the series out there. I'm starting at least 50 new series, this year. Fun fu..."


So do I & like Maddie, I am reading multiple series --the spreadsheet is the only way I can keep up with them.

[Wan]

I mix up my series too. :-)

[Michelle]

Cmkage wrote: But for me it all depends on how well the series is planned. Most of the time you can tell if the author allowed for many books from the beginning or if they are just adding book after book without planning ahead..

That's a really good point. I've often wondered if authors start with an overall plan, or if they kind of wing it. I suspect that it's a little of both. I don't think an author wants to be locked into a rigid schedule or outline since that can suck the life out of a book. Otoh...if a writer doesn't have any idea where he/she is going with the series, the books can wander around without any pattern at all.

I think that Rowling hit that middle ground as well as any writer could. I agree that additional HP books would not be a good idea.

[Anika]

Tabitha wrote: "Anika wrote: "I think it depends on the author, take for instance LKH the Anita Blake Series she changed within the Series which a lot of people would say it was for the worse but I keep reading be..."

Well don't buy the books, get them from the Library if you aren't sure that you are going to read it to the end of the series. I'm sticking with it but I might be in the minority.

[Dale]

If the series is good, really good, I don't mind if it goes on forever. Bring it on! Some series end after 3 or 4 books, and leaves me *wanting* it to continue. Some series, I'm ready for it to end. Twilight was one of those.

[Keru Faye]

I hardly ever read series, and when I do, I tend to only read the ones that have maybe 5 books at the most.

[Keru Faye]

I agree with Eileen. If there must be a series, it should be because there's more to the story, not because it's a cash cow.

[Komal]

I also agree with Eileen. Money hungry authors are so obvious and so very aggravating...it's almost an abuse of the readers trust, readers who spend their hard earned money only to end up with reused or worthless storylines.

[[deleted user]]

The other offenders are authors that had a 10 book deal with 10 book story arc then they are contracted for another 5 books, then the books get strange in an overdramatzed way.

[Cmkage]

Tabitha wrote: "The other offenders are authors that had a 10 book deal with 10 book story arc then they are contracted for another 5 books, then the books get strange in an overdramatzed way."

I hate it when that happens. You can always tell that the series wasn't planned to be that long, that the author is just extending it to squeeze out a few more books even though the storyline is well and truly over.

[Missyb]

I think it depends on the author and the amount of characters. Kenyon has a Were/Dark/Dream Hunter series that intermixes and all together is on 21. To me it is starting to wear/bore a little. Feehan's Carpathian series is on book 22. 4 or 5 of them are short stories, and some have been better then others and moved the overall story along. Mary Janice Davidson's Undead series is on book 10 and book 9 was so weird it made many not bother reading book 10 (I'm one of them), and wish the series was over.

If the series has enough characters then it'll probably be a long series, but sometimes certain characters shouldn't have their own book. If they're not moving the overall story along then don't bother. Give them parts of another book instead.

[Jaime]

Sarah ~Slow reader, or slowly reading? ;) wrote: "Does anyone else get discouraged when a book series has more than 10 books? I feel like when I see books with 15-20+ books in the series, that they just aren't worth reading because of the excessiv..."

I agree, Sarah. I've got such limited reading time, so like to jump around to different authors. And I tend to think that series can get stale after a bit, if the author gets into a rut. But I know there are wonderful authors who don't do that, too. And that being said, it seems a lot of readers like dependability. They know they're going to get A, B, and C.