What do you think of episodics?

[jhempel24]

I'm intrigued by this:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Human-Divi..._rhf_ee_s_cp_2


I'm currently reading Eyes Wide Open by Ted Dekker which is being released in 4 parts one every Monday, which is...wow, just great, and I'm kind of digging the format. Reminds me of The Green Mile and the Blackstone Chronicles

[Soldim]

Originally Posted by jhempel24

I'm intrigued by this:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Human-Divi..._rhf_ee_s_cp_2


I'm currently reading Eyes Wide Open by Ted Dekker which is being released in 4 parts one every Monday, which is...wow, just great, and I'm kind of digging the format. Reminds me of The Green Mile and the Blackstone Chronicles

Sounds interesting, but somewhat risky on part of the author. I read the Koontz 3 part episodics, but would not have bought the third one if it wouldn't have been the last one since I lost interest.

What I like about Scalzi's books is the:

At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.

As a second thought, the 13 parts end up being $13.39 ... a bit expensive I'd say.

[DiapDealer]

Short, frequent (and regularly scheduled) episodics that together form a novel, I'm all for. It's episodic novels released three to ten years apart that I take issue with.

I'm excited for Scalzi's little experiment. I've not been overly impressed with any of his novels since the very first in his Old Man's War series, so I'm hoping a shake-up of sorts (for both him and me) will revive things.

[susan_cassidy]

I read far too fast to be interested in partial novels, published at various time intervals.

[BeccaPrice]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

I read far too fast to be interested in partial novels, published at various time intervals.

ditto. And unless the episodes come very quickly, I tend to forget plot points, and my erratic interest wanes.

I don't like magazine serials either.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Soldim

As a second thought, the 13 parts end up being $13.39 ... a bit expensive I'd say.

Most definitely!

[jhempel24]

Yeah it's a bit expensive, but once a week at .99 I think is okay for me.

I pre-ordered the first few, just to see how they are.

I've not gotten to the Dean Koontz Odd Interludes (I assume that's what you meant), but those are next in my Odd series before Odd Apocalypse. Hopefully it will tie up the loose ends from Odd Hours

[GlenBarrington]

For the same reasons I hate weekly broadcasts of mini series on broadcast TV.

But I find a completed miniseries on Netflix quite enjoyable.

[DiapDealer]

I don't see a lot of difference between scarfing up incomplete, cliffhangered novel-length episodes every 4 years or so, and reading short, incomplete episodes every week or so. The vast majority of your time in any kind of installment plan story is always spent waiting for the next installment.

So if I can't get true stand-alone novels in my preferred SFF genre... I'll take the serial format that puts new stuff in my hands more frequently.

[BeccaPrice]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I don't see a lot of difference between scarfing up incomplete, cliffhangered novel-length episodes every 4 years or so, and reading short, incomplete episodes every week or so.

Nothing spells the kiss of death for me than an incomplete, cliffhangered ending. The only series I haven't abandoned that has that tendency is the Liaden books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - and only because I tend to stockpile the books and read several in a row.

[jhempel24]

Yeah this thing with John Scalzi is already written and you can pre-order all 13 books if you want...so this will be something I'll pick up after reading the 2nd Old Man's War book. I don't know where in the timeline this takes place though.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

I read far too fast to be interested in partial novels, published at various time intervals.

Same here. I'm more likely to read them when they're all done and available and read through them as one book though. Which is exactly what I did with the Blackstone Chronicles and enjoyed it.

[jhempel24]

I guess i love the anticipation of the arrival. Knowing every week a new story will be here dragginge along

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

Nothing spells the kiss of death for me than an incomplete, cliffhangered ending. The only series I haven't abandoned that has that tendency is the Liaden books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - and only because I tend to stockpile the books and read several in a row.

A cliffhanger done well is awesome. However, the story that was told in the book should still have an ending. The greatest cliffhangers end a book, but also open the door to a new episode of the story.

Episodics are not for me. I want to finish the book in my time. Which can be within a week, or within a month, depending on how much time I want to spend on reading. Sometimes, when I'm nearing the end of the book, I simply cannot put it away (one more chapter, and then I'll sleep...). With an episodic, you cannot do that.

[Soldim]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Episodics are not for me. I want to finish the book in my time. Which can be within a week, or within a month, depending on how much time I want to spend on reading. Sometimes, when I'm nearing the end of the book, I simply cannot put it away (one more chapter, and then I'll sleep...). With an episodic, you cannot do that.

I guess these episodics will be useful for those trying to read 50 or 100 books a year -- 1 counts for 13