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Originally Posted by Sirtel
I agree with that. Generally I would still prefer the published order. I once started to read the Hornblower books in chronological order (not knowing the published order was different) and the first book left me pretty cold. The series is still languishing in my TBR pile. It would perhaps have been different if I had read in publication order. I mean I just didn't care about Hornblower when I read about his beginning. He didn't seem a particularly attractive or interesting character. OTOH, if I had read about his youth when I already knew and appreciated him, I would possibly have felt differently.
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I had a similar reaction to the first Hornblower book in the chronology,
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, and I haven't gone back yet, although I intend to. On the other hand, I thought the first published Sharpe book (and even more so the second) were pretty tedious, but reading in chronological order I was able to go on after that, as I was already hooked.
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Originally Posted by DiapDealer
It (based on real events) honestly wouldn't have any effect on my personal published order policy. With no indepth knowledge of the real historical events, I wouldn't be able to trust fact from fiction anyway (not that THAT is a deterrent to me reading such material in the first place), so the "real" chronology wouldn't be issue for me. HAVING indepth knowledge of the real historical events would mean I already know the actual chronology. So events presented in a non-linear fashion for narrative effect wouldn't bother me there either.
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I agree with this in theory; in regard to the Sharpe books which I know I keep bringing up, my knowledge of the Peninsular Wars was pretty sketchy going in and there was an advantage to taking the books in historical order in terms of understanding the grand sweep, and not jumping all around Iberia.
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Originally Posted by DuckieTigger
Maybe, just maybe, that book wasn't all that good then if it depends on other books in the series to be enjoyable. IMHO, each and every book in a series should meet minimum requirements including being so enjoyable and grabbing as to want to continue on.
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Again, I agree with this in theory; I think the crux is the "minimum requirements." Most series are uneven and they virtually all go downhill eventually. I have found in the past (less so now) that I have a tendency to keep reading for at least a couple of books past having any real interest in a series any more.