series quality decreasing?

[leebase]

Originally Posted by issybird

And then you get to #8, or #10, or whatever and think, “Wow, this isn’t as good as it used to be and I’ve really got tired of it. Wonder when that happened?”.

Of course. No one makes you read ALL the books. For the most part, though, I REALLY love nice long series.

I love all the Endger's Game books, and the Shadow series. I can't wait for each new volume. This is the only one I know of where the author went back and told the SAME story, only from a different character's pov. They are excellent, what a brilliant marketing strategy.

I loved all the Honor Harrington series books. And all the spin offs.

I have enjoyed, so far, all the 1632 series books I've read (maybe 10 or so). There are many more I haven't YET read. I just needed a break, and then I haven't been motivated to return.

Sharpe's Tiger was the first in a 20 book series with the character Richard Sharpe. Enjoyed them all.

I've enjoyed all of the Alex Cross books. And I believe I am current in that series.

I could go on for a lot longer. The fact that a book is art of a long series is very attractive to me.

Now Tom Clancey's books I've enjoyed. But they are not ALL of the same quality as his first few. But I find them still enjoyable.

I even enjoy many series where the original author has died and someone else is writing: Dune, Jason Bourne, Mitch Rapp, Jack Ryan and Jack Ryan Jr.

Neil Gamon is an author who writes completely new and original single books. He is amazing. I don't know many who can do what he does.

[hildea]

Some series disappoint me because the author doesn't manage to stick the landing. "A Song of Ice and Fire" is heading for that -- in the latest book the story seem to be expanding still, introducing more plot lines and more point of view-characters, instead of starting to tighten up. (I'm ignoring the TV series, as the ending there was really disappointing, from what I've read.)

Another series (just a triology, don't remember the author) was great almost all the way through, with a Joan of Arc inspired protagonist, a gritty description of the machinery of war showing the point of view of camp followers, and Europe literally under a shadow. But in the last fifty pages or so, it turned out that the huge mysterious conflict could have been solved by some key people talking to each other decades ago. That ruined the books for me.

Other series are really good, but it becomes too much work for me to keep up. Aaronovitch's Rivers of London and Brust's Vlad Taltos series are in that category. I fell off a few books ago, and if I want to start again, I really need to reread the whole series to remember what has happened and who the key characters are.

And in other series, the protagonist becomes too powerful for my taste. I really liked the Harry Dresden series when he was just a private investigator trying to deal with magic, but the charm disappeared when he got more powerful.

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by hildea

Some series disappoint me because the author doesn't manage to stick the landing. "A Song of Ice and Fire" is heading for that -- in the latest book the story seem to be expanding still, introducing more plot lines and more point of view-characters, instead of starting to tighten up.

Which book are you on? I really hated that series. The first one was ok, but I hadn't yet figured out his method. About halfway or so through the second book I started skipping chapters and skimming. When I got to the end of that I realized that his character development consisted of nothing more than making each character angry and wanting revenge against other characters. Stupidly I thought that it might get better in the third one but I immediately stopped reading it after the first chapter which was about two guys who'd gone awol from the fort way up north at the wall. And what was their "thing"? They were pissed off at the commander of the fort and wanted revenge. It didn't say why of course; we'd have to slog through who knows how many chapters of other vengeful characters to maybe find out.

Nothing more than everyone's pissed off and wants revenge; what kind of book/writing is that?

[HLS]

Sometimes. Foe example the Odd Thomas series. Fiert 2 books I liked then it got worse from there. I am on book 5 Of Phillip Pullmans Dark Materials saga The Secret Commonwealth and find I am not a fan. There is really not much of a story here.

[maddz]

Originally Posted by hildea

Another series (just a triology, don't remember the author) was great almost all the way through, with a Joan of Arc inspired protagonist, a gritty description of the machinery of war showing the point of view of camp followers, and Europe literally under a shadow. But in the last fifty pages or so, it turned out that the huge mysterious conflict could have been solved by some key people talking to each other decades ago. That ruined the books for me.

You're not thinking of Mary Gentle's The Books of Ash? A single omnibus or 4 books (A Secret History, Carthage Ascendant, The Wild Machines and Lost Burgundy?

[Luffy]

For me D, and I are by a considerable margin better than the other Kinsey Millhones. Currently I began M last year but will continue it next year because I am reading only big books this year.

[hildea]

Originally Posted by hobnail

Which book are you on?
...
Nothing more than everyone's pissed off and wants revenge; what kind of book/writing is that?

I've read all of them, and am planning to read the next, if Martin manages to finish it. I like his worldbuilding and language, so I'm willing to put up with a probably unsatisifying ending.
I agree with you about most of the characters being pissed off and wanting revenge, but I'm OK with books about angry people.

Mostly I wish Martin had done as Pratchett with Discworld, Lee & Miller with Liaden, and Robin Hobb with the Realm of the Elderlings, and written stand-alones and shorter series in the same universe.

Originally Posted by maddz

You're not thinking of Mary Gentle's The Books of Ash? A single omnibus or 4 books (A Secret History, Carthage Ascendant, The Wild Machines and Lost Burgundy?

Yes, that's right, thanks! I've loved other books by her, so it didn't put me off her as an author, but that series disappointed me.

[Tomk2]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

A TV series like M*A*S*H* or Frazier, I'll watch.

Newer series with their focus on continuing storylines that may or may not be resolved before cancellation? Those I watch far less (though I admit they may be better TV experiences).

I'm interested in The Man in the High Castle, Stranger Things, The Witcher, Hell on Wheels, Altered Carbon, Penny Dreadful and GLOW. All available on Amazon or Netflix, both of which I have access to. But I just haven't watched them.

For continuing TV, I far prefer the one season and done-type series like American Horror Story, Slasher, The Haunting of Hill House or True Detective. And to be honest, towards the end of both the first and second seasons of American Horror Story, I though the plot had outlasted my interest.

I prefer to watch a good movie.

Did you read Altered Carbon? I found the series to be excellent, but I also found the book to be excellent. Book then series was a great way to experience them both. I have also thought a follow up book would be awesome, but I liked the original so much I cant bring myself to read a sequel.

The Man in the High Castle was on my list to read, but it was the series first season that finally made me read it. P.K. Dick had so many concepts that were before the times that the film adaptation, years later and usually updated, work really well. I would recommend you watch some of the series first then read the book.
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[GlennD]

Originally Posted by issybird

That seems a reasonable gap to me. Any faster and I think the quality can’t be there. Did I misunderstand you?

Unless you're reading Brandon Sanderson. He seems to be able to crank out quality material at a very fast pace. Then again, I think part of his strategy for keeping things fresh is to switch focus between multiple projects frequently. He writes fast enough to not make people wait eons for the next book in the series.

[GlennD]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

What I like about series is revisiting favorite characters - it's like getting together with old friends.

I'm this way almost to a fault, I'll keep reading a series well after the quality declines.

Most series that are telling a specific story seem to work pretty well, it's more the open ended ones where each book is an independent story that seem to taper off in readability.

One series that (for me at least) has gone the opposite direction is Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. It started out good but not great, and has just gotten better since then. But the world and characters continue to develop in ways that make sense.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Tomk2

Did you read Altered Carbon? I found the series to be excellent, but I also found the book to be excellent. Book then series was a great way to experience them both. I have also thought a follow up book would be awesome, but I liked the original so much I cant bring myself to read a sequel.

You're not missing much. If you read one, you've read them all. Morgan tends to be very, very formulaic. Altered Carbon was definitely the best of the 3 books with Takeshi Kovacs in them in my opinion.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by hildea

I've read all of them, and am planning to read the next, if Martin manages to finish it. I like his worldbuilding and language, so I'm willing to put up with a probably unsatisifying ending.
I agree with you about most of the characters being pissed off and wanting revenge, but I'm OK with books about angry people.

Mostly I wish Martin had done as Pratchett with Discworld, Lee & Miller with Liaden, and Robin Hobb with the Realm of the Elderlings, and written stand-alones and shorter series in the same universe.



Yes, that's right, thanks! I've loved other books by her, so it didn't put me off her as an author, but that series disappointed me.

How odd, I remember reading A Secret History and Grunts, but I guess it was in paperback. Well both the omnibus book Ash and Grunts are available as eBooks for only $4 so why not.

[wildhoney66]

i love a number of series that i'm way behind in, i do love James Patterson and his Alex Cross novels but i must admit i'm way behind in reading those i think it's the 1st Ten i have i forget which ones cause i do buy his physical releases and for some reason he puts out so many a month now.

it's hard to keep up and i really wish he hadn't started doing that cause he writes less of just ones by him than he used to. i miss those days, anyways i'm also a Piers Anthony Fan and there are many haters of the guy and with certain books i can see why but i don't take his stuff series anyways i love his xanth books, i had read all of them but to i think maybe the 20th? i forget the actual number i stopped at but than i stopped reading him for a number of years and i do collect him as well

but a couple years back after trying to get back into xanth for a number of years and being unable to i realized the reason i was unable to was cause of one thing i lost my connection to the characters so i went back to the start of the series and currently i'm reading the i believe 4th Book (1981)'s Centaur Aisle which i have read a couple times as well.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by wildhoney66

i love a number of series that i'm way behind in, i do love James Patterson and his Alex Cross novels but i must admit i'm way behind in reading those

I started reading the Alex Cross series a few years ago but the some of the plots were too far-fetched for me. I checked Goodreads reviews of some of the later books and found developments I didn't like so I gave up on the series.

Originally Posted by rkomar

I got tired of reading the common whodunnit series, but I don't think it was because they were series so much as I just had enough of that genre. I tried reading mysteries (usually series) translated from other cultures, and that revived my interest fully. Japanese, Scandinavian, French, Italian, Polish, Finnish,... It was refreshing reading mystery stories that didn't have to conform to North American expectations. As a bonus, generally only very good books go through the effort and expense of translation, so that filters out most of the dreck.

I've gone through periods where I was into different types of mysteries. I've switched between cozies, action/thriller, and police procedural books.

I've read some translated books - i recall reading some of the Inspector Sejer books by Karen Fossum and liked those.

[wildhoney66]

around i want to say (1994) maybe? my mom was told to read Along came a spider by a girlfriend of hers and so she thought why not? so she read it and loved it and said to me that i should read it and i loved it, the 2 books that she read were that one and Kiss the girls those were the only ones that were out at the time and i loved them both

i kept up with them for a few years than i lost track of what was going on and stopped reading them for years and so many years in fact that i finally got around reading one of them just within the last couple of years in fact. now i'm about 3 or 4 books further but i've still got a long way to go to catch up.

as for other series i love Patrica Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta Series, i bought the first book i'm 41 now so bought the book while i was in my early 20's that's how long i have owned that book. i have to be in the mood for a genre or an author i'm the same way with movies and so forth i'm weird like that.

anyways, i tried reading the 1st Scarpetta book at least 30 times before i could really get into it and with that first book it was like 90 pages before anything did happen that really got the book going and that was a death of a character i think? after that i loved the book and fell in love with the series. i'm on i think the i want to say 8th book i think now? i forget to be honest