Let’s chat about those series we just have to quit on. Why is that? Which series?
Julie:
We chatted earlier about when to break up with a series or author, so now we’re chatting about which such series we have broken up with. I feel like this post applies to a long series, not like a trilogy that we only read the first book from. But an extended series we read quite a few and then gave it up. That’s what we’re chatting about here.
One such series for me is the Love At Stake series. I loved quite a few of them, but the series was just going and going and got a bit formulaic for me after a while.
Another series is the House of Night series. I stopped after like 8 or 9 books? I forget where exactly but I kind of lost interest. The ongoing battle and all the good characters dying, I just stopped.
Lynn:
Series with a lot of books are a major commitment. Especially if the books are still being published. Two I have up on are books I read the heck out of in my younger years.
Dirk Pitt: I loved these books. Til Dirk had twin 20 year old kids show up out of nowhere. Sure I get it, Dirk was getting old. But that’s no reason to change a formula that works. I still read the Oregon Files books by Clive Cussler. And sometimes the old characters make special guest appearances and I realize how much I’ve missed them.
Amelia Peabody: I really liked the first books – they were a fun romp. But the characters (again) aged. And I became bored. Especially when the focus changed to Ramses. Precocious children become irritating adults. Plus, how many secret tombs are left to be found?
How about you? Any series that you just can’t read anymore?
I haven’t thrown in the towel on any series, but I have started to skip forward in some of them. I just can’t read them all, especially ones that have tons of books like In Death. I’m pretty ADD when it comes to reading, so I don’t stay with one series long enough to get tired of it. I think the most books I’ve read in any one series is probably around ten, and that’s over a long period of time.
I’ve only read two books in the Love at Stake series and maybe around eight or nine in the House of Night series. I didn’t stop reading them because I got tired of them. I just never got back around to them, but I plan to someday.
Jen @ Books That Hook recently posted…Featured Releases: Kill Switch and Her True Match
I like your idea of taking breaks between books in a series, Jen. I might steal it!
I don’t read many long series, so I don’t have this problem often. I did stop reading the Dune series, though, and I probably won’t get back to it. We shall see.
Nicole @ Feed Your FictionAddiction recently posted…Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore – 3/19/17
If you made it through the third Dune book, Nicole, stop there! The others were just weird. Trust me on this!
I’m pretty sure it was book four that I quit on. I was reading it and eventually just put it down, saying I’d “come back to it later.” It’s been like six years, so I don’t think I’ll be going back to it. 🙂
Nicole @ Feed Your FictionAddiction recently posted…Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore – 3/19/17
You know, I don’t know that I have given up on any of my long series commitments, but I definitely don’t have the urgency to read the next installments like I used to. This may be more because I’m reading/reviewing books for work all the time now than because I’ve lost interest in any one series. I love: The #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by Andrew McCall Smith (three books behind), the Kinsey Millhone “alphabet” series by Sue Grafton (two books behind), and the Stephanie Plum “number” series by Janet Evanovich (four books behind). I think about these characters and miss them, but I just don’t miss them enough to make time for them.
Kristine Hall recently posted…Onions in the Stew ~ ~ ~ Audiobook Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway!
I feel the same lack of urgency to get back to a long time favorite, the In Death series by J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts). My last one read was New York to Dallas (In Death, #33) via audiobook in September 2012. Typically I read these when I felt burned out on regular contemporary romance. Unfortunately, switching from physical book reading format to the audiobook format turned out to be a mistake for me. I disliked the narrator’s vocal acting for Peabody – a crucial supporting character in the In Death universe – that I haven’t felt motivated to pick the series up again.
Hah! I’m behind on both the In Death series as well as the Stephanie Plum series! Like Kristine, I just don’t have the urgency to read them. Especially when new shiny books are there in front of me!
I’m sad to admit I’ll have to throw in the towel on the Pougheepsie series. I was gifted a copy of Poughkeepsie book 1 by a fellow book club member in 2014. Then I won the entire Poughkeepsie series from the author who then also threw in her paranormal series just because she’s cool like that. I really liked interacting with her online, so I finally dove into Poughkeepsie in April 2015. And the beginning 13% or so was good via e-book, but another book called me away from it. Last week a book buddy said she’d buddy read Poughkeepsie with me so I could finally get back to it. So this time I got smart and bought the audiobook from Audible. The narrator is awesome! Seriously I credited her for me not throwing in the towel on this novel yet again. There’s just about Debra Anastasia’s writing voice that doesn’t connect well with my reading preferences. I’ll finish Poughkeepsie, but now I realize I should probably stop trying to force a liking for her writing style. Before revisiting Poughkeepsie, I did manage to read most of Fire Down Below (Gynazule #1). I had to skim a good 25% or so of it when it got too over the top for me, but finish it I did. It ended on a freaking cliff hanger, so I had planned to Fire in the Hole. But sadly, that one may stay in my Kindle collection as an unread one. I hate to give up on any book series, but I have so many unread books by authors whose writing styles I do connect well with that I can’t dedicate any more time to Debra’s novels. It bums me out because again she is really cool online, and I kind of understand where she’s trying to go with her creative instincts even while they don’t resonate with me enough for me to want to keep reading her work. O_o
I hate to give up on books as well, Livia. But I commend you for trying! And I’ve used audio books to help me when I’m struggling as well. Listening is so much easier sometimes.
It really is easier than reading finding the time to read with our own eyeballs at times. Sometimes not even a great narrator can keep the momentum going though. On to the next good read, right?! =)
I read a few of the Amelia Peabody books as well, but never completed the series. There is a Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie King I started, but never finished. I just outgrew this type of rote mystery book. I want something a bit darker and deeper now when I read!
Terri M. recently posted…Scenic Sundays | Blogging Isn’t All Roses, Rainbows & Unlimited Free Books
I can definitely agree with the outgrowing characters, Terri! We change. And the characters we once loved just don’t fit in our lives any longer.