Series of Books

United States
January 20, 2008 6:47pm CST
After responding to the discussion on the Harry Potter books I got to wondering about how many others like to read books that are part of a series. I really enjoy them and am always a bit sad when I read the last book in a set. I like knowing the main characters, of watching them developed in the passage of time. Sue Graffton's alphabet murders is a favorite of mine, as are the Foundation books by Asmiov.
5 responses
@asunnys (30)
• United States
21 Jan 08
If you really like the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, you might like the Belgariad/Mallorean book by David Eddings. It has a similar premise where a teenage boy discovers he can do magic, and must use his powers to save the ones he loves. However, the Eddings books are a bit more "epic fantasy". There are 10 books in the series, and the read is a little heavier - although just as enjoyable IMO.
• United States
21 Jan 08
The Eddings books sound interesting,I will have to put them on my list of things to check. Thanks.
@gantwick (849)
• United States
23 Jan 08
I thoroughly enjoyed the Belgariad and Mallorean series. I agree that it is much heavier reading, but there was a certain logic that made the fantasy almost believable. I think the first Dragonlance trilogy was incredible. I still find myself going back and rereading it, and each time it seems new - or at least different - as I think about a different character's point of view.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
21 Jan 08
Have you considered the Alex Cross series by James Patterson, or the Women's Murder Club and for something in the fantasy line by more science then HP ..look into Maximum Ride. All totally great books.
• United States
21 Jan 08
Oh yes, love James Patterson's books, everyone of them that I have read. Alex Cross is very special. And have you seen the tv series based on Women's Murder Club??? I haven't read Maximum Ride but will look into it, soon I hope.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
22 Jan 08
I have only seen one of the women's murder club, since I work evenings. Maximum ride is awesome, similar but in th e the series is the lake house.
@patgalca (18355)
• Orangeville, Ontario
21 Jan 08
I am also a big fan of Grafton's alphabet murders. The problem I find with other series though is that you kind of have to read them in order, which can be difficult to do. Some authors like Barbara Taylor Bradford and Maeve Binchy like to carry their characters over into other books so I find myself with a bunch of books I can't read until I get a hold of the ones before. Books like Lawrence Sanders Timothy series are good because they need not be read in sequential order. They have the same character but there is no lifestyle change that occurs in any one book that leaves you wondering if you read the latest book before a few of the others. There are quite a few authors who like to use the same characters in all their books. As a writer, I would find that a little hard to do. I guess most of them are mysteries and our main characters are the crime solvers so of course their stories continue. Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels are a little different because their stories do change. They have a group of detectives. Now Ed McBain wrote a lot of books. I went back and read one of his earlier 87th Precinct novels and found one of the detectives was just a lowly cop on the beat in that book. And their personal lives do come into the picture and changes happen there as well. But I don't feel the need to read these books in order. It would be hard for me to go back and find the books he wrote back in the 1940's.
• United States
21 Jan 08
Reading the series in order is sometimes a problem, especially when you do most of your book buying at yard sales. Which I do. I also use the public library a lot and find if I read 'older' series I can get the books in order more easily than if I were reading a 'current' popular series.
• United States
21 Jan 08
V.C. Andrews. All of her old books would be like 5 book series. She passed away a few years ago so she now how a ghost writer. I can't remember his name, but he is pretty good. But the publishers don't want the series to be that long now, which I feel isn't the same. You would "watch" the main character grow up throughout the series and now the books take place only over a year or so. And I know what you mean about being sad when you read the last book. I really felt that way when I read the last Harry Potter book. It was just like "Oh, wow, this is it!"
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
29 Nov 08
I am really big on series. I have read most of the Harry Potter books, but I get more in to the mystery series. I also am in to the Sue Graffton alphabet mysteries. I also love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Number series. If you like Sue Grafton you will likely like Janet Evanovich's series as well. I also like the J.D. Robb a.k.a. Nora Roberts series as well. I also like some of the short series books by Nora Roberts. The Key series was really good. The first book in the series was a little fluffy, but by the time I was in to the third book I was really in to it. I love series book as well, as you can see.