Series Compulsion

Sydney's Mom · 10-07-2011, 01:48 PM

I finished a book yesterday, #16 in a series. The book stood alone perfectly well, but I loved it, and was compelled to buy the first 15 books last night. Ran into a problem with Calibre, too (my problem), but all was right with the world by 3 am, and I started reading book #1.

So how about you - if you like a book in the middle of a series, are you compelled to fill out the series?

HarryT · 10-07-2011, 01:51 PM

I would never, EVER, start a series anywhere other than at the first book, personally

.

ekster · 10-07-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I would never, EVER, start a series anywhere other than at the first book, personally

.

Same. And if I like it, I'd move on to the second, and if I like that, the third, etc.

I wouldn't get the whole thing right away... did that before and got a bit too disappointed a few times. Dune, Wheel of Time, Sword of Truth... loved their first few books, but then started getting really disappointed to a point that I stopped reading some of the books half-way.

HarryT · 10-07-2011, 02:00 PM

Yes, I tend to buy a series 1 book ahead of my reading, so I always have the next one there to move on to.

Hamlet53 · 10-07-2011, 02:10 PM

Rarely would I even start in the middle of a series knowing that it was a series beforehand. If that should happen it would depend on how much I liked the first book read as to whether or not I would attempt to fill the rest in, starting with the first. So poll choice #1 is the closest to my response.

DiapDealer · 10-07-2011, 02:24 PM

I never jump into the middle of a series. In fact in this day an age, I'm rarely reading anything that's part of a series. Anymore, I view a series as a bit of a crutch... for both authors and readers. I want fresh. I want new. I want...... The End (capital E).

Asawi · 10-07-2011, 02:31 PM

I usually TRY to start with no. 1 in a series, but sometimes I jump in not aware it IS a series. If I then find I like the book a lot, I try to fill the series. I voted number 2, but it's not really depending on money. since I almost only read library books, but rather availability.

phenomshel · 10-07-2011, 02:32 PM

This answer has changed with the explosion of my TBR. When I was reading physical books, and I got a trip to the bookstore maybe twice a year, then sure - I'd start in the middle of a series and hope I could find the rest (and especially number one) later.

Now though, if something doesn't have the first one available in ebook (lots of older mystery series fall in this category) I won't buy any of the series until at least the first three are available.

jersysman · 10-07-2011, 03:45 PM

I will always TRY to start a series at #1. The only time that I do not if I just happen to read a book that i do not realize is part of a series until too late. Then, if I liked the book, I will go out and buy Book 1 of the series and go from there. When I get to the book that I read in the first place, I re-read it to see if it takes on a different look because I would have more of the background. This has happened to me twice before. Doesn't happen too often now because it is pretty easy to search on the internet (fictfact.com).

Catlady · 10-07-2011, 03:57 PM

Only way I wouldn't start with number 1 is if I didn't realize a book was part of a series, or if it's an out-of-print series and I can only track down miscellaneous titles.

Abtacha · 10-07-2011, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I would never, EVER, start a series anywhere other than at the first book, personally

.

This!

Though Wizard and Glass, the 4th book in the series, was the first of the Dark Tower books I read. But that only happened because it was a gift and I wasn't even aware that it's part of a series before I started reading it.

wodin · 10-07-2011, 03:58 PM

And if I know ahead of time, I try to read series' that are complete. I've read the next to the last book in several series', and am waiting (sometimes for years) for the last one to be published.

shanghaichica · 10-07-2011, 04:31 PM

I have to start at the beginning of a series.

Sydney's Mom · 10-07-2011, 04:39 PM

Lest someone think I was sloppy, I didn't realize it was part of a series until I was finishing number 16 and there was a preview of number 17.

Seems we might be less likely to know a book is part of a series, because it is very easy to jump right to the beginning of an electronic book. Whereas with a pbook, you sometimes have to look for the first page.

HarryT · 10-07-2011, 04:50 PM

I always look up the author on Fantastic Fiction. It's the best way I know of to get information about book series'.

View Poll Results: Are you compelled to fill out a series you started in the middle?
I always start with #1 in a series	122	77.22%
Yes, if I can afford to	24	15.19%
No, my TBR list is too long as it is	7	4.43%
Your OCD is showing	5	3.16%
Voters: 158. You may not vote on this poll

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10-07-2011, 01:48 PM	#1
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	Series Compulsion I finished a book yesterday, #16 in a series. The book stood alone perfectly well, but I loved it, and was compelled to buy the first 15 books last night. Ran into a problem with Calibre, too (my problem), but all was right with the world by 3 am, and I started reading book #1. So how about you - if you like a book in the middle of a series, are you compelled to fill out the series?

10-07-2011, 01:51 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I would never, EVER, start a series anywhere other than at the first book, personally .

10-07-2011, 02:00 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, I tend to buy a series 1 book ahead of my reading, so I always have the next one there to move on to.

10-07-2011, 02:10 PM	#5
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	Rarely would I even start in the middle of a series knowing that it was a series beforehand. If that should happen it would depend on how much I liked the first book read as to whether or not I would attempt to fill the rest in, starting with the first. So poll choice #1 is the closest to my response.

10-07-2011, 02:24 PM	#6
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,553 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I never jump into the middle of a series. In fact in this day an age, I'm rarely reading anything that's part of a series. Anymore, I view a series as a bit of a crutch... for both authors and readers. I want fresh. I want new. I want...... The End (capital E).

10-07-2011, 02:31 PM	#7
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	I usually TRY to start with no. 1 in a series, but sometimes I jump in not aware it IS a series. If I then find I like the book a lot, I try to fill the series. I voted number 2, but it's not really depending on money. since I almost only read library books, but rather availability.

10-07-2011, 02:32 PM	#8
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	This answer has changed with the explosion of my TBR. When I was reading physical books, and I got a trip to the bookstore maybe twice a year, then sure - I'd start in the middle of a series and hope I could find the rest (and especially number one) later. Now though, if something doesn't have the first one available in ebook (lots of older mystery series fall in this category) I won't buy any of the series until at least the first three are available.

10-07-2011, 03:45 PM	#9
jersysman Wizard Posts: 1,747 Karma: 3761220 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Device: T1 Red, Kindle Fire, Kindle PW, PW2, Nook HD+, Kobo Mini, Aura HD	I will always TRY to start a series at #1. The only time that I do not if I just happen to read a book that i do not realize is part of a series until too late. Then, if I liked the book, I will go out and buy Book 1 of the series and go from there. When I get to the book that I read in the first place, I re-read it to see if it takes on a different look because I would have more of the background. This has happened to me twice before. Doesn't happen too often now because it is pretty easy to search on the internet (fictfact.com).

10-07-2011, 03:57 PM	#10
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	Only way I wouldn't start with number 1 is if I didn't realize a book was part of a series, or if it's an out-of-print series and I can only track down miscellaneous titles.

10-07-2011, 03:58 PM	#12
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	And if I know ahead of time, I try to read series' that are complete. I've read the next to the last book in several series', and am waiting (sometimes for years) for the last one to be published.

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10-07-2011, 04:31 PM	#13
shanghaichica Guru Posts: 989 Karma: 5782970 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Scribe,Kindle Oasis 3, iPad Pro 11, iPhone 13 Pro Max,iPad mini 6, PW5	I have to start at the beginning of a series.

10-07-2011, 04:39 PM	#14
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	Lest someone think I was sloppy, I didn't realize it was part of a series until I was finishing number 16 and there was a preview of number 17. Seems we might be less likely to know a book is part of a series, because it is very easy to jump right to the beginning of an electronic book. Whereas with a pbook, you sometimes have to look for the first page.

10-07-2011, 04:50 PM	#15
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I always look up the author on Fantastic Fiction. It's the best way I know of to get information about book series'.