What is your approach to series?

['thul]

Your body is damaged. You ought to repair it.

[fool-ish]

You got a plaster goin' spare?

['thul]

No. such is pointless on humans. Your skin is quite fragile. Easily dismantled.

[o0Ampy0o]

I cannot skip around from series to series. I'm the type of person who reads it straight through, back-to-back, even if it is a 12 book series.

I have a very vivid imagination and one of my favorite things about reading is being transported to another world. Once I'm in the world... I don't want to leave it; even when the story is finished I don't want to leave it. This is why I always give myself about a month between big series so I have some time to soak it in.

If I've been recommended a series or I know it's going to be good (an author I know), I buy the whole thing. If it's a new author I found and have only read some amazon reviews, I usually just buy the 1st book and see what happens. There has been a time or two where I never finished the 1st book and was glad I didn't buy the rest. You just never know!!

I mourn when I complete a good book.

I feel fortunate when I begin a series that has been completely written and released as I know I can continue to the end uninterrupted. I might buy everything at once, but that depends. I read a sample of LST and bought the series. I knew I'd be following through the Fitz story and bought all of TM.

I have been considering Hunger Games but the trilogy package is more money than individual books (on Kindle at least). Money/discounts are not always a consideration but a strike against HG is the post-apocalyptic theme which I do not like. I am interested in the book because it is supposed to be a great story though. In that case I may read the first then decide whether I will continue the series.

Kindles are great because I carry a library with me all of the time. I keep my eyes open for books to read and have several lined up though what I choose when ready depends on what feels right.

An incomplete series does not discourage me. What matters is whether the released books are highly regarded, provided the theme appeals to me. However, if the author takes too much time to complete the next book of a series I may not read it having lost interest.

When I have completed a series I look for something that feels right by reading synopsis, reviews and excerpts. I do check to see whether each book in a series receives good ratings. I might pass on beginning a series if it fizzles out in the final book(s).

I will not likely read the books of Ice and Fire that follow Storm of Swords even if the final book is great.

['thul]

you're missing out on good stuff if you avoid aSoIaF...

[Farseer]

I have been considering Hunger Games but the trilogy package is more money than individual books (on Kindle at least). Money/discounts are not always a consideration but a strike against HG is the post-apocalyptic theme which I do not like. I am interested in the book because it is supposed to be a great story though. In that case I may read the first then decide whether I will continue the series.

My husband has only become a 'reader' fairly recently and enjoyed reading THG very much. My second eldest son (nineteen this year) enjoyed them also. I am yet to read them myself but they are waiting for me for a time I feel is 'right'. Odd but true.

I will not likely read the books of Ice and Fire that follow Storm of Swords even if the final book is great.

You may like to head over to the ASoIaF thread and chat about your reasons *why* you'll likely not read beyond ASoS, o0Ampy0o? As someone who has a troubled relationship with the series, I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on it....especially as you noted in the other thread that you felt that Martin is "one of the best character writers".

I'll hopefully be back somewhat soonish to answer a question that you have for me in another thread.

[Valarya]

I mourn when I complete a good book.

Oh absolutely. I didn't start the Wheel of Time series until about a month before the final book was released. When I finished the last sentence of the last book, I believe I sat on my bed with tears streaming down my face for about an hour. Not due to the subject material, but in mourning that it was over.

I have been considering Hunger Games but the trilogy package is more money than individual books (on Kindle at least). Money/discounts are not always a consideration but a strike against HG is the post-apocalyptic theme which I do not like. I am interested in the book because it is supposed to be a great story though. In that case I may read the first then decide whether I will continue the series.

I heard from a lot of people to only read the first book then NOT continue with the rest of the series. I can't do that, so I read all three.. and the third one was my favorite. I realized, after reading, most people probably felt let-down or disappointed because it isn't the "perfect happy ending" they perhaps wanted - or felt they should get since it's a young adult series. Personally, I like bleak endings.

Kindles are great because I carry a library with me all of the time. I keep my eyes open for books to read and have several lined up though what I choose when ready depends on what feels right.

I keep an e-reader with me at all times as well - and I know exactly what you mean about keeping several lined up. What 'feels right' to read this week, might not feel right next week. It's all about what you're in the mood to start, even if you can't explain WHY you aren't feeling a certain series, yet.. especially when you know you want to read it eventually. Hahah, I'm still trying to explain this to myself to no avail.

I will not likely read the books of Ice and Fire that follow Storm of Swords even if the final book is great.

I understand your hesitation. I can tell you that, having read the 5 books (currently out) a total of four times, he hasn't topped Storm of Swords, yet. Unfortunately, I was one of the fans who waited 4+ years for the fourth book... and 5+ years again for the fifth book, so I was a bit peeved already. But if you're involved in theory-crafting of the series, A Dance with Dragons will be extremely satisfactory, especially if you've read his Dunk and Egg short-stories (as they tie-in).

[o0Ampy0o]

I will not likely read the books of Ice and Fire that follow Storm of Swords even if the final book is great.

You may like to head over to the ASoIaF thread and chat about your reasons *why* you'll likely not read beyond ASoS, o0Ampy0o? As someone who has a troubled relationship with the series, I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on it....especially as you noted in the other thread that you felt that Martin is "one of the best character writers".

I would participate in that thread but it has material from the books in the series I have not read. Even though I said I would not likely read anything written after Storm of Swords, I could be convinced otherwise if I heard compelling recommendations there. In truth I would like to believe the remaining books are worth reading like everyone else. I just have not seen evidence that they are.

I last read a book from that series when SoS was released. I have forgotten a lot of things. In reading comments about the books released later, I learned that the most interesting areas to me were not focused on in the next book. Then when another one came out and received similar reviews I decided not to bother. The lack of discipline in editing ends up being a burden on a reader as the two next books are really one bloated book split into two. It makes me angry that such fine work came to that.

This brings to mind some feelings I have about the ending of Tawny Man, actually the ending of the Fitz story (thus far). I could accept it because it looked like Hobb chose to make it a happily ever after fairytale. I suspect Hobb appeased a new lover, a child or discovered God when changing the course of that series finale. It definitely was not the ending everything had lead to. ** Farseer/Tawny Man spoiler**

Spoiler

Many would agree that Fitz was meant to end up with Kettricken and be a shadow king. In the forthcoming books I am not interested in a story of Fitz, Molly and Burrich's children

but I doubt Hobb is going to devote a trilogy to the amended chapter of the Farseer tale. George RR Martin, on the other hand, appears to have lost something in his craft.

['thul]

GRRM isn't interested in a fairy tale ending. At least not yet. part of the reason that he has such branching stories as to create split books, is that he's made at least 1885 characters. (sure, he's fond of killing them as well, but its still extremely many for so few books.)

[Farseer]

I would participate in that thread but it has material from the books in the series I have not read.

Of course. My apologies. I tended to write my own posts while avoiding looking at anything else when I had not even started the series.

My main concern was the inclusion of any spoilers for ASoIaF being placed in here if you had a specific comment to make about why you would not read ahead of ASoS (the plot etc), as this is a spoiler-free area. Of course, spoilers are fine so long as they are placed under spoiler tags.

I suspect Hobb appeased a new lover, a child or discovered God when changing the course of that series finale.

Actually, your suspicions would be way off (from both a personal and plot perspective!) but, just as for your next comment, any discussion regarding the plot and ending of TM is possibly more suited for elsewhere, such as in a RotE room. Otherwise it will need to go under spoiler tags (as I have now done for the other comments already made). Just as you would like to avoid spoilers for those books that you are yet to read, there are some who may enter here not knowing the ending of Farseer/Tawny Man. Feel free to begin a new discussion in the RotE room if you can't find a thread that doesn't have spoilers for those books you have yet to read.

It definitely was not the ending everything had lead to.

Spoiler

Many would agree that Fitz was meant to end up with Kettricken and be a shadow king.

I would heartily disagree. To both.