As I promised in the last days of the Old Year, I’m starting now a discussion about book series. Some people like them, some people not so much. There are good reasons on both sides.
I like book series because I love spending more time in the worlds of some writers. Some of these worlds are so rich and full of potential, that it would be a shame to abandon them after only one story. Not to mention that many times there’s the same story that goes deeper and deeper into the secrets of that world. Yes, it needs more pages to see it unfurled to its rightful ending, but we still call it a series.
On the other hand, I know, there are many series in which the following books are not as good as the first one. Most of the time it doesn’t mean they’re bad books, just not as good. Is this enough to dislike series?
There’s a reason why this thing happens. With the first book, the writer reveals for the first time her wonderful world with most of its strong points for being wonderful. Shows us for the first time her deliciously flawed characters. The novelty charms us and we love it all.
Then comes the second book, playing its new story in the same world with mostly the same already met characters. It doesn’t read as fresh and brilliant in the second book. Or in the third.
But there are means to overcome these problems. There are writers who know how to make all that “tired” feeling disappear and maintain the freshness of their work no matter how many books they write in the same world. And the beauty is that not all the ways are the same. Every one of those writers who do that, do it in a different way.
I’ll give you just a few examples of series I love and never got bored reading their books. Series in which I considered all the books as good if not better sometimes than the first book.
Julie Czerneda — “Night’s Edge” series. Is her first fantasy series and I was surprised to discover that while I loved her first book, “A Turn of Light”, I liked her second book, “A Play of Shadow” even better. I leave the reason why her second book is even better for you to discover. By the time you’re in its midst, the reason will become quite clear. And as fantasy goes, if you think everything has been said and done to death, well, you’re wrong. This series is as fresh as it comes.
Jeff Noon — “Vurt” series. There are only two books in the series, “Vurt” and “Pollen”, but man, what a revelation. In a time when cyberpunk was reaching its limits and there were fewer and fewer authors with something interesting to say, Noon comes and blows away all of its conventions and gives birth to a new breed of cyberpunk. One that has remained his own to this day.
China Mieville — “Bas-Lag” series. One of the best new weird. Brilliant world building. Why do you think every book in the series reads as fresh as the first one?
Karl Schroeder — “Virga” series. A science fiction so wonderfully weird and yet rigorous in its science. Schroeder’s world reveals itself bit by bit with every book. You think you discovered it all in the first book and then comes the second and holy smokes, what is that? Oh, yes, it’s the same world, but a different part of it. Same as if your first story takes place in the States, and then the second one moves to Himalaya. Is it the same world? Yes and no. But for the sake of your story is mostly no. Schroeder’s characters evolve and display new facets of their personalities, as we move from book to book. Five books and I can’t get enough of this world and its stories.
Now, it’s your time to tell me:
— Why do you like series?
— Why don’t you like series?
— What series you think are a success?
— In what series the second or third book is better than the first?
— Author’s methods for making an interesting series.
I know, a lot of questions. And being the beginning of the year, I’d like to keep things positive. So, only positive questions. Answer just those you like.