Which do you prefer? Stories that stand alone or a series?
I have a four-book futuristic series coming out this summer - in July and August - Daughters of Persephone. Books one and two will be released together and then books three and four. I have to admit, the series nearly wrote itself - it was so fun to write these stories involving one specific line of genetically enhanced women. The results sort of blew me away, as did the cover. This is my first series and I did leave room for a couple other books. I have several more sci fi series planned - so many plans, so few hours in the day!
As a reader, on the other hand, I hesitate to involve myself in a series because I’m afraid of being disappointed. Sometimes I think a series goes on too long - past the point of exhaustion. It can be a bit of a crap shoot.
There are a few series that I’ve enjoyed. Even if I haven’t liked every single book, I’ve stuck by the author because I like the characters and hate to leave them behind. Because of Sookie and Eric and Pam and Bill, as long as Ms. Harris writes ‘em, I’ll read ‘em. Her books are always entertaining.
George R.R. Martin - A Song of Fire and Ice - oh baby - gimme my next 5000 page installment!
Tad Williams - The Dragonbone Chair series. Yummy fantasy.
The Chronicles of the Warlands, Warprize, Warsworn and Warlord, by Elizabeth Vaughan - listed as paranormal romance but much more fantasy. Great stuff!
Kilgannon and it’s sequel, The Wild Rose of Kilgannon, by Kathleen Givens is a good historical romance with a strong heroine, my favorite kind!
Linda Howard’s MacKenzies - not perfect, but I love the family so their stories are in my permanent collection. Of course, if you read Kill and Tell, you can go on to read All the Queen’s Men and follow John Medina, one of the secondary characters in Kill and Tell.
I enjoyed Angela Knight’s Jane’s Warlord, Warrior and Guardian, all interrelated.
I stuck with J.R. Ward through Lover Revealed. She lost me after that, just like KMM lost me with her Darkfever series and I did try to like it, I swear I did. I tried my best.
While I slogged through every subsequent book written by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander is the only book I loved. Nonetheless, I have to admit that Jamie Fraser was, is, and always will be my ideal romance hero.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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April 30th, 2010 at 7:52 am
Hey, this is also the topic at Desert Island Keepers today! I like both, depending.
Some series go on too long (Anita Blake, Stephanie Plum). Some piss me off (too many cliffhanger endings in KMM’s …fever series; a particular character being killed off in the Rachel Morgan series) and I stop reading.
April 30th, 2010 at 9:08 am
I think the series fever is going around! Dirty Sexy Books had a great post about series yesterday. I hesitated to post this but I’d already written the draft so I thought, WTH! I’ll be honest, I’m one of those naysayers who thinks the “Fever” series could have been released as 2-3 longer books instead of forcing a reader to spend money for every shorter book. The story and characters never hooked me anyway. BDB is full of characters I love, but, the author lost me with all the tangential stories. I think the kiss of death was Jane’s ghost. I blew out of that series so fast…that ending almost made me want to forget I’d ever even picked up Dark Lover!
The utterly brilliant George R.R. Martin, oh-he-of-the-perpetual-never-finished-next-book, killed off almost all my favorite characters in his Game of Thrones, A Song of Fire and Ice, but…there is no fantasy series to compare other than Lord of the Rings, so I will stick by him to the bitter end.
I’m trying to keep my series short and sweet - which is why I wanted to combine books one and two and books three and four - better for the readers! I may add books five and six - about the very powerful male descendants.
April 30th, 2010 at 9:23 am
I’m the same. After Lover Revealed things went downhill for me with JR Ward. I really didn’t like Lover Unbound. BUT, I will stick with the series as I hear later books get better again.
For me, I love a series…but I hate cliffhangers. They should be stand alone or at least give a satisfying conclusion until the next book.
Unfortunetly, a series is often made out of a successful book and subsequent additions suck or don’t compare to the first. Guess it really depends on the series.
Can’t wait for your series. Love your writing style
Stacey xo
April 30th, 2010 at 9:44 am
I have to admit that the Dark Hunters, Dream Hunters, Dream Warriors series from Sherrilyn Kenyon held me spellbound. Her other series didn’t. I loved the Greek Gods themes and the paranormal shifters.
April 30th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Thanks, Stacey! Yes, I too have a problem with cliffhangers that make you buy the next book. Just give me one book or I’m fine with a series where each book can be enjoyed all on its own.
Fran, I know so many people who love SK and I have avoided her books - afraid to get started!
April 30th, 2010 at 10:11 am
I love series, I get hooked… I do appreciate an author who never assumes the reader has read everything in their series. A strong series is made up of strong stand alone stories.
I’m so happy for you Julia, The Daughters of Persephone sounds like it’s going to be a great series.
XXOO Kat
April 30th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Hi Julia!
Your ‘Daughters of Persephone’ sounds fantastic! Just my ‘bag’. I love stand alones and series - I’m working my way through JD Robb’s Death series, in no particular order. And I love Pratchett’s Discwolrd novels, especially the watchmen and death books. I think it’s hard for a writer to maintain a series, to keep it fresh, and I’m full of admiration for those who do.
I like the MacCaffrey ‘Dragon’ books and her crystal singer books.
That’s a striking, beautiful cover!
Best wishes, Lindsay
April 30th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Oh yes, forgot about Anne MacCaffrey and her Dragons of Pern - I love those books and they can be read alone, but reading the entire series is way better. I also love Sharon Kay Penman, but her stuff can also be read alone. It’s more of a sequence than a series.
Thanks! I love the cover too!
April 30th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
I like series that can stand alone. I read books out of order sometimes, because I might discover the author late. I don’t want to be forced to read the earlier books unless I choose to. Sometimes you might borrow a book from a friend or co-worker or get sucked in by the cover and the blurb on the back and you don’t want to be completely lost when you read the story.
May 1st, 2010 at 12:01 am
I do too, Dana. I actually started KMM’s Highlander series with the last book and worked my way backwards. Then I re-read them forwards! Yes, I do prefer a book that can stand alone even if it’s part of a series.
May 1st, 2010 at 3:11 am
I’m really looking forward to this series, Julia. I’m usually a three book series reader, though I’ve definitely read up to 12 books in a series. I’m currently on book four of Jessica Andersen’s Maya prophecies series and loving it.
May 1st, 2010 at 4:52 am
I really love series, even if I’m screaming and cursing at the end because of a cliff hanger. There’s nothing sadder than reading a fantastic book only to realize it’s the only one, that the characters and world that sucked you in won’t be returning. As for being stand alone, it is preferable, but not feasible if it’s the same main characters. I mean look at the Anita Blake series, I started with book four by accident on that one and had to go back and start with one to understand certain references and get the back history. Stand alones for series are more easily done when reusing a world featuring new heroes say like the Lords of The Underworld where each book focuses on a different lord. But that’s just me lol. I love to read so the more books the merrier.
May 1st, 2010 at 8:35 am
Perhaps the best of both worlds is the series that really isn’t a series, but rather a bunch of books set in the same world with some characters in common.
A true series is a set of sequential stories. Many of the series in romance land are collections of stories with the setting in common. I suspect those do better than the sequential kind unless they are limited from the start (such as a trilogy).
May 1st, 2010 at 8:42 am
Yes, Anny, I actually prefer a series with a bunch of books set in the same world or a series that, say, follows a secondary character - but I’m not a huge fan of cliffhangers - Book One, Exile, of Daughters of Persephone is a cliffhanger is why I wanted books one and two released together as a single volume.
Eve - I do think it’s sad to end a series you’ve become attached to. The characters are like your friends, but I also think it’s better to end a series than go on too long - after the author has lost enthusiasm and moved onto other things. I’ve recently read new installments in a couple series I’ve followed and both books have been also-rans - the authors pretty offered much a rehashed storyline with new names for the characters. It’s tough to stay fresh.
Thanks, Amber! I’m looking forward to this release also. Lots of time travel, blood, sword fighting! I’ll have to take a look at the Maya Prophecies!
May 1st, 2010 at 1:07 pm
I do enjoy reading both series & stand alones…as long as they don’t have cliff-hanger endings to lead to the next book. I follow a lot of different series by various authors…Kay Hooper, Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz, Moira Rogers, Vivian Arend, Destiny Blaine, Laura Griffin, Shelly Laurenston, Leslie Parrish and so many more.
May 1st, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Nice suggestions, Anna!