Writerly Things…6/24/19: Do You Read Series?

Traci Kenworth

What Got Me Started Reading Them?

Although, I’d read Tolkien and other fantasy series previously, my first YA series I started to read and haven’t finished yet because it hasn’t finished yet: Cassandre Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. Her hunters had a profound effect on me and led to me writing about my own hunter’s society. From there, I progressed to Hunger Games, Twilight, and so on. I really like following the same characters. I have read many romance series by Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, Gena Showalter etc. Even if the main characters change in the series, it still interests me. There’s nothing like familiar characters.

Why Do I Keep Reading Them?

Lots of reasons! Familiarity as mentioned above. I like the worldbuilding. I like the author. I like the theme. I like sharing in the character’s journey, waiting to find out how it all turns out in the end. Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a recent series I read, and I loved what the author did with myths and legends. Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse series was another recent in which the Darkling wreaked havoc upon a Sun Summoner and her childhood friend. Past series have included, Rebekah L. Purdy’s Winter People series which I loved for the uniqueness and scariness of the world she wrote about. Stephanie Garber’s Caravel series which is a unique mystery in itself! I’m finishing the last book in the series at the moment. Anna Dressed in Blood, because I love a good horror book and this duology screamed such. Shatter Me absolutely brilliant! I could go on, lol.

Pros and Cons of a series.

Some readers LOVE them. Some readers don’t. You can’t predict how fans will react to a continuation of a series or especially the ending. GOT had this problem. I didn’t particular care for a piece of the ending of Hunger Games. I felt that it made no sense. Why had she gotten into the games in the first place, only to lose this in the end? I mean, I know realistically: war is hell and not everyone survives. But this death made the whole series pointless to me. A writer can also get trapped in writing them. Readers want more of the same thing instead of a new offering sometimes. Tolkien experienced this.

Yeah, a series can be exhilarating for readers and writers, until it isn’t. The pros are that it’s easier to pull back readers to a series for the reasons mentioned on why I read them and continue to read them. The cons can cause upset for both the reader and the writer. Sometimes we don’t want a good thing to end. Sometimes something about the ending, isn’t satisfying. The truth is, the writer must write the ending they envision unless they want to destroy all that’s come before. J.K. Rowling, for instance, didn’t allow fans to sway the ending of Harry Potter. There would be a payout, but one she had seen all along, not one that readers wanted played out. Not saying, of course, her ending was bad. I, for one, loved it.

So why or why don’t you, read series? Of any kind? Have a great week, take care, and God bless!