Don't you hate to have a good book end?

Fbone · 08-08-2010, 06:10 PM

Ice Limit by Preston & Child

I'm having separation anxiety. I wanted the book to go on forever!

Is this why people read serials?

Are my feelings evidence of a well written enjoyable book or do I become too involved ... sensitive ... obsessed with the plot and characters? I am not liking this sadness I am feeling.

I need to watch an episode of I Love Lucy.

Ben Thornton · 08-08-2010, 06:27 PM

When I saw the title, I was wondering what was wrong with book-ends. They're quite useful to stop things falling off the end of the shelf ...

Anyway, yes. It's particularly bad when the author has died, so there's no hope of more. Don't serials just put off the inevitable? Once you get to the last one, you'll get end of serial anxiety, which is worse.

What we need is computer-generated books that never end.

Here's my first offering:

10 PRINT "It was a dark and stormy night, and the captain said to his mate - 'tell us a story'; so the mate began. ";
20 GOTO 10

Now all we need to do is improve the algorithm a bit.

JaneD · 08-08-2010, 06:42 PM

I definitely have that feeling when I finish a great book. Sometimes I'll even get despondent enough to think I'll *never* find another book that good... Such drama!

Sandra Edwards · 08-08-2010, 06:51 PM

Yes. Yes. Yes. For me, it's not often that I find such a book, but when I do...I want it to on and on and on forever :-)

mrscoach · 08-08-2010, 06:55 PM

Definitely. I was that way with the Harry Potter stories, and a few others, as well. I think I will probably read anything Jo Rowling puts out. She plans things out so much, and slips in details that make you want to reread to make sure you got all the nuances.

Ravensknight · 08-08-2010, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrscoach

Definitely. I was that way with the Harry Potter stories...

well, then you shouldn't have much trouble finding ANOTHER book to love to pieces if that is your baseline ;-)

I don't know if I have ever come across a book I didn't want to end. I've come across series where I wanted more stories from that world, but a specific book, nothing springs to mind...

Solicitous · 08-08-2010, 08:00 PM

I don't hate it, for me I find I get a rather good feeling that a good book has reached a conclusion of the story, for me it brings it all together. What I do hate is a good book that has in comparison to the entire story a rather bad ending.

foreverjuly · 08-08-2010, 08:32 PM

No words can convey the sorrow of a masterpiece run its course. Like losing a dear friend, its impact will resonate within you long after you've set the book down.

MartinParish · 08-08-2010, 08:37 PM

Yep, that's how I felt when I read Lord of the Rings for the first time in middle school...

Lady Fitzgerald · 08-08-2010, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solicitous

...What I do hate is a good book that has in comparison to the entire story a rather bad ending.

I hear ya!

I always hate to come to the end of a good book; more so if it's a really good series. What I really hate is when an author has a series going or has promised a sequel and dies before the series end or the sequel can happen. Robert Jordon milked the snot out of the Wheel of Time series then died before he could finish it. Fortunately, his wife had his notes and a pretty good idea where he wanted to go with it and has hired a ghost writer to finish it (but even he is milking it

). Louis Lamour promised a sequel to The Walking Drum but wrote umpteen other books instead, then died. How rude!

Mickey330 · 08-08-2010, 08:41 PM

Yes, its sometimes sad for me to come to the end of a book that I've really enjoyed.

Sometimes, I get so into a book that I find myself thinking in the style of the book (grammar, syntax, etc) for a little bit as I slowly exit the world the author built. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's as if the author's words and the story have altered my mental patterns for just a little bit...

Anyone else have that happen to them ... or is it just me?

Marilyn

Ben Thornton · 08-08-2010, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mickey330

Sometimes, I get so into a book that I find myself thinking in the style of the book (grammar, syntax, etc) for a little bit as I slowly exit the world the author built. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's as if the author's words and the story have altered my mental patterns for just a little bit...

Anyone else have that happen to them ... or is it just me?

Marilyn

Children do that all the time - whenever we finish a story or watch a film, my son wants to play whatever it was - "I'll be Indiana Jones" or whatever. As we get older the influence that books have on us changes, but I certainly recognise the feeling you're describing. I think that most of what I read is pretty safe, but my wife likes reading thrillers about psycho killers ...

Mickey330 · 08-08-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

I think that most of what I read is pretty safe, but my wife likes reading thrillers about psycho killers ...

Ben, look out behind you!

Ben!

DaringNovelist · 08-08-2010, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Is this why people read serials?

Well, it's why I prefer to read series. I like serials too, but the point is still for the story to come to a climax and end.... and then go on to the next story.

(Actually, in the days of silent movies, serials often did work more like a regular series - with a full story in each episode.)

But yes, nothing pleases me more than to discover some series that has ten books or so in it - so that I can indulge myself until satisfied.

Camille

happy_terd · 08-08-2010, 11:42 PM

no. I need the closure.

08-08-2010, 06:10 PM	#1
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Don't you hate to have a good book end? Ice Limit by Preston & Child I'm having separation anxiety. I wanted the book to go on forever! Is this why people read serials? Are my feelings evidence of a well written enjoyable book or do I become too involved ... sensitive ... obsessed with the plot and characters? I am not liking this sadness I am feeling. I need to watch an episode of I Love Lucy.

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08-08-2010, 06:27 PM	#2
Ben Thornton Guru Posts: 900 Karma: 779635 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle 3, iPad 2 (but not for e-books)	When I saw the title, I was wondering what was wrong with book-ends. They're quite useful to stop things falling off the end of the shelf ... Anyway, yes. It's particularly bad when the author has died, so there's no hope of more. Don't serials just put off the inevitable? Once you get to the last one, you'll get end of serial anxiety, which is worse. What we need is computer-generated books that never end. Here's my first offering: 10 PRINT "It was a dark and stormy night, and the captain said to his mate - 'tell us a story'; so the mate began. "; 20 GOTO 10 Now all we need to do is improve the algorithm a bit.

08-08-2010, 06:42 PM	#3
JaneD Addict Posts: 322 Karma: 1057749 Join Date: May 2010 Location: LA, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2013	I definitely have that feeling when I finish a great book. Sometimes I'll even get despondent enough to think I'll never find another book that good... Such drama!

08-08-2010, 06:51 PM	#4
Sandra Edwards Queen of Procrastination Posts: 1,884 Karma: 1802 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Nevada Device: K2, K3, Fire	Yes. Yes. Yes. For me, it's not often that I find such a book, but when I do...I want it to on and on and on forever :-)

08-08-2010, 06:55 PM	#5
mrscoach Guru Posts: 762 Karma: 4837659 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Angelo Texas Device: Samsung Galaxy tab	Definitely. I was that way with the Harry Potter stories, and a few others, as well. I think I will probably read anything Jo Rowling puts out. She plans things out so much, and slips in details that make you want to reread to make sure you got all the nuances.

08-08-2010, 08:00 PM	#7
Solicitous Wizard Posts: 1,434 Karma: 1525776 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: TAS, Australia Device: Astak Pocket Pro (Black), 2 x Kindle WiFi (Graphite), iPod Touch 4G	I don't hate it, for me I find I get a rather good feeling that a good book has reached a conclusion of the story, for me it brings it all together. What I do hate is a good book that has in comparison to the entire story a rather bad ending.

08-08-2010, 08:32 PM	#8
foreverjuly Crank Up The Awesome! Posts: 315 Karma: 708054 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Japan Device: Kindle, Nook, iPhone	No words can convey the sorrow of a masterpiece run its course. Like losing a dear friend, its impact will resonate within you long after you've set the book down.

08-08-2010, 08:37 PM	#9
MartinParish Author of 2184 Posts: 61 Karma: 810 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle	Yep, that's how I felt when I read Lord of the Rings for the first time in middle school...

08-08-2010, 08:41 PM	#11
Mickey330 Addict Posts: 378 Karma: 1107420 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Western New York state (USA) Device: Kindle Oasis & the Kindle app on iDevices	Yes, its sometimes sad for me to come to the end of a book that I've really enjoyed. Sometimes, I get so into a book that I find myself thinking in the style of the book (grammar, syntax, etc) for a little bit as I slowly exit the world the author built. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's as if the author's words and the story have altered my mental patterns for just a little bit... Anyone else have that happen to them ... or is it just me? Marilyn

08-08-2010, 11:42 PM	#15
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	no. I need the closure.

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