Series Compulsion

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

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

But would you read them in logical/official sequential order or publication date order? Like the Narnia books, or the Tripod books where a prequel was released years later.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by wodin

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.

I've been waiting that long for the next War Against the Chtorr book I don't even like scifi books any more.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

But would you read them in logical/official sequential order or publication date order? Like the Narnia books, or the Tripod books where a prequel was released years later.

Generally, in that case I'd choose publication order. Eg, "The Magician's Nephew" might be "logically" the first Narnia book, but if you read it before "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" you lose all the wonder of the unfolding of the story of Narnia.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by HarryT

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

I just couldn't do it. In fact, I tend to check Wikipedia or Barnes & Noble, just in case the book is part of the series. The only thing I might read out of order is the prequel or bonus stories that I didn't know existed or that were publised after the series had already begun. Even then, with series that I really like, I will go back at a later date read or reread from the beginning.

[PKFFW]

Generally I will read a series in order of publication unless there is a compelling reason to read them out of order. For example if a prequel to the first book has since been published and that prequel does not give away too much of or in any way "ruin" the original book.

[TFeldt]

Originally Posted by HarryT

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.

This. To the letter.

[ATDrake]

I'll make a vague attempt to start a series at #1 or at least fairly early in the series if it's available in the library/freebie/dirt-cheap introductory promo and it seems like something that should probably be read in chronological/publication order.

But frankly, I've gotten so used to reading series books all out of order by settling for whichever volumes were currently available in the library when I wanted to read them that it honestly doesn't bother me much to have the internal timeline and character development all over the place when I'm reading it for the first time.

As long as there aren't total mystery-destroying spoilers for the really important surprise twist/dénouement plot points of a previous book spelt out in Now I Know Too Much Thanks A Lot For Blabbing Exactly How It All Turned Out In A Superfluous Infodump detail.

Anyway, if a series turns out to be good and merit my continued time and attention, then very likely I'll end up buying all the better-written books and re-reading them in order. If not, then I don't feel any particular compulsion to essentially rearrange part of my life so that I can get the books in to read in order, if it turns out to be unnecessarily inconvenient and/or costly.

That said, I did make a point of reading the Amelia Peabody & Vicky Bliss titles in tandem publication order because they were supposed to tie together in a particular way that would be revealed by picking up clues when reading along as the books were originally written. But the library had lots of copies of Elizabeth Peters' more popular series and all the books were readily available for me to check out in nice chronological batches.

[xg4bx]

i wouldn't read any series that had 16 parts lol, i don't care how good an author is. sheer fatigue would have set in around book 5 no matter how much i enjoyed the characters or story. i need an element of danger in my books, a feeling that someone might die or whatever but if they're still kicking in book 20 i know the series has no consequence.


that being said i've got to start at book 1 every time.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

i wouldn't read any series that had 16 parts lol, i don't care how good an author is. sheer fatigue would have set in around book 5 no matter how much i enjoyed the characters or story. i need an element of danger in my books, a feeling that someone might die or whatever but if they're still kicking in book 20 i know the series has no consequence.


that being said i've got to start at book 1 every time.

I don't know. The Honor Harrington series is pretty long (12 books in the main series with 13 due out at some point) and Weber's been good at keeping a sense of danger. People do die and the main character gets more than banged up, even if she does come out alive. To explain more would give away a major plot point, so I can only say that no one is truly safe in the series.

[dgillette.rm]

I think the poll results as of when I write this (41 respondents and 33 always start with book 1) show the wisdom of Baen publishing. They used to go back and sell the first book for $1.00. I started on Honor Harrington that way. Now the first book goes into their free library after a couple have been published. Read book one with little to no risk. If you like it, they got return on their investment.

[RDaneel54]

Originally Posted by wodin

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.

So very true. A Song of Ice and Fire jumps to mind. I haven't even started the recent one yet because I know it goes on (and on and on).

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by dgillette.rm

I think the poll results as of when I write this (41 respondents and 33 always start with book 1) show the wisdom of Baen publishing. They used to go back and sell the first book for $1.00. I started on Honor Harrington that way. Now the first book goes into their free library after a couple have been published. Read book one with little to no risk. If you like it, they got return on their investment.

Not only that, but also if you invest in a hardcover edition you get access to even more of the books at no charge, as a bonus. There is also a site that uploads the CDS with Baen's permission.

[pidgeon92]

I would always start with #1 in a series, though I have had instances where it wasn't apparent that a book was part of a series and I have read it.

I remember reading Reborn by F. Paul Wilson, and just hating it. The book made no sense. Then when I researched it after purchase, I realized it was part of a series. I haven't read that series yet, but now I am more careful to check if a book is part of a series prior to purchase.

[Apache]

I always start with number one too.
Honor Harrington is a great series. Other good series by David Weber are Safehold, The War God and Empire of Man.
Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos Series and The Kaahvren Romances are great.
Ian Banks Culture.
Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber.
The Sten Series by Alan Cole and Chris Bunch.
Alan Dean Foster's Icerigger Trilogy.
The River World Series by Phillip Jose Farmer.
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser by Fritz Leiber.
Glen Cook's Garrett P.I.
David Drake's Hammer's Slammers
S. M. Stirling's Nantucket and Emberverse Series (series are related)
Michael McGarrity's Kevin Kerney Series
Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe
and too many others to list.
Apache

[wodin]

Originally Posted by RDaneel54

So very true. A Song of Ice and Fire jumps to mind. I haven't even started the recent one yet because I know it goes on (and on and on).

Yes, that's one I was referring to, I've read all five, and have no idea when the next one will be out. Frustrating!

On the other hand, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is refreshing in that each book stands alone.