BTT: Series
This week’s Booking Through Thursday question asks:
If you read series, do you ever find a series “jumping the shark?” How do you feel about that?
And, do you keep reading anyway?
Well, I didn’t know what “jumping the shark” meant, so I had to read through other BTT participants’ answers in order to get an idea (and then, just to be sure, I Googled it). 
But, now I am enlightened… LOL
Yes, I read series. I even started a blog to keep track of both the ones I’m reading through, and the ones I’d like to read through at some point. That way I can know what order the books in each series go in without having to Google it every time.
My favorite series was Gaelen Foley’s “Knight family” series. And, it didn’t go downhill at all… every one of the 7 books in that series was excellent, and hard to put down!
I’ve just caught up with the “House of Night” series by P.C. & Kristin Cast. And, I think it lagged, for me, around book 3 or 4, but then it picked up again. I am obviously still reading the books. They were interesting enough — I had to know what happens next! — that I decided to keep giving the books a shot, even if it was slow, or if I found something disagreeable.
I don’t remember Christian Jacq’s “Ramses” series taking a turn for the worse, at all. There were 5 books, and I enjoyed each of them. Mind you, that was back in 2002 that I read them, so it could just be that my memory isn’t so great. LOL.
I guess I haven’t read too far through many series to notice them going downhill. Or, if I have noticed it, I’ve just kept reading anyway.
These days, if the books aren’t interesting me, or they’re getting ridiculous, I’ll set them aside. If I’m not enjoying a series, I won’t keep reading it.
Oh… there was one series, recently, that I stopped reading… but I hardly think it counts as I only tried book 1: “Bitten” by Kelly Armstrong — first in her “Women of the Otherworld” series. That book was such a hard book for me to slog through, and I only finished it because the series is so popular and I thought it might redeem itself at some point. No such luck. After setting the book down, I decided I didn’t want to continue with the series. Mind you, the other day, one of my local librarians was telling me that if I go read “Broken“, it might change my mind about the series and make me decide to give it another shot. So, we’ll see.
Do you keep reading if a series is starting to go bad?
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See the BTT blog for more
answers to this week’s question!
This was a great question – I learned a new phrase! Yes, I’ve had to start a separate blog to keep track of all the series I read, too. But I haven’t listed the ones I would like to read in the future – that’s a good idea!
LOL.. I too had to google the phrase to understand the question. I’m not sure I understand it yet. I am not one to keep reading a book, whether it is a series or not, if it drags on and on. I read for entertainment, so if it gets to be a drag, I say “Goodbye book.”
Funny…like you, I also read Bitten, wasn’t terribly impressed with it and ultimately decided NOT to continue with the series. I’ve heard such good things about it though, I can’t help but wonder if I should try the next one
Over the years, I’ve been working my way through the Kay Scarpetta Series (Patricia Cornwell), the Sookie Stackhouse Series (Charlaine Harris) and Anita Blake (Laurell K. Hamilton). ALL of them have jumped the shark at some point, yet I still keep pushing through. After a 7+ book commitment for each, it’s hard for me to just abandon them!
I wasn’t familiar with the saying either and had to look it up!
Here’s my BTT.
I love reading series books because you already know you like the characters, and the writer’s style is familiar.
I don’t know about “jumping the shark”, but some series definitely lag in the middle, as authors try to resolve plot lines, but leave enough unresolved to make a sequel possible.
For me, one series that has lagged is the Laurell Hamilton Meredith Gentry series where a 400-page book sometimes only covers 24 hours of time. She is pregnant, and at this rate, we’ll all die of old age before the babies are born!
I rarely read books in a series but I have some strong opinions about Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Check it out here: http://historicalfictionnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/09/booking-through-thursday.html
Katherine
Historical Fiction Notebook
historicalfictionnotebook.blogspot.com
Don’t bother with the Fallen series/trilogy by Lauren Kate. I didn’t like it and a lot of other people didn’t like.
House of Night seres started out great but became a drag… all the boy drama, etc. pulled away from the actual story.
I’m working on other series:
Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage
Erec Rex series by Kaza Kingsley
The Immortals series by Alyson Noel
Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
I actually liked the “boy drama” in the “House of Night” series! LOL. Good thing varied tastes makes life interesting!
~MizB
Great question! I loved the “Ramses” by Christian Jacq too.,read intire series.
I loved Ellis Peters “Cadfael” when it was on tv and read that entire series!Got it on DVD to recnetly.
I have read and watched the Agatha Christie Poirot .
One series did put me off “A Game Of Thrones” by George R.R Martin too much set up!Got to page 100 and set it aside.
I’m now just starting what i think looks a good series “The Sum Of All Men:RuneLords” series by David Farland. Loving it so far !
Here is mine:
http://bookjunkiemom.blogspot.com/2010/09/booking-through-thursday.html
I usually read stand alone books. I have a terrible time deciding to stop reading a book when it becomes painfully slow and I’m struggling to get the motivation to read, so when a series hits a rut I tend to push through…but then I hate the rest of the series, even if it picks up after a single bad book, because all I remember is how much I disliked that one book!