Series You're Glad to Keep Up With

ChaosTitan · Jun 30, 2009

To balance out the negativity a little, what are some of the series that you've kept up with currently or read in the past, and overall, didn't disappoint?

For me:

The Mercy Thompson series, Patricia Briggs. I've yet to be disappointed by any of these books, and I'm eager for the fifth, which doesn't release until next year.

The Kate Daniels novels, Ilona Andrews. Great heroine, great cast of supporting characters, and each book expands on the mythology of alt-Atlanta.

The ACRO series, Sydney Croft. For fans of erotic romance, psychic powers, shapeshifters, espionage, and conspiracies, this series has it all. Sadly, only two more books are planned in the series.

The Night Huntress series, Jeaniene Frost. Like the Kate Daniels books, this series has a kick-butt heroine, a sexy Alpha hero, an amazing supporting cast, and a unique mythology that keeps expanding. Book four comes out in July! Squee!!!

(and YAY for post #10,000!)

Salis · Jun 30, 2009

Here's my list:

Cranky · Jun 30, 2009

The Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. The only fantasy series I've finished besides HP. ETA: Um, no, wait. Technically, I guess TDT fits in that category,too.

The Dark Tower series. Even though the last book made me so mad I heaved it at a wall, it was totally worth it.

MsGneiss · Jun 30, 2009

I liked "His Dark Materials" trilogy, but was disappointed to hear that there might be a fourth book. Why is it so hard for successful authors to give up a series in favor of something else? Is it the money?

ChristineR · Jun 30, 2009

Does this only apply to series in progress? I really enjoyed the Pallister novels and the Barchester towers series by Trollope. I read a lot of old books, and don't really follow any new series. I don't mind metaplot spread out over many books, but I'm not a big fan of anything that's completely open ended.

ChaosTitan · Jun 30, 2009

ChristineR said:
Does this only apply to series in progress?

Nope. Completed series count.

Which means I suppose I should add:

Little House on the Prairie (read 'em all, still love 'em)
Night World, LJ Smith
Anne of Green Gables

Cranky · Jun 30, 2009

Oh! Well, then, shoot, I definitely have to add Little House to my list! I'm so giving those books to my nieces when they're a little older...they'll love them!

MsGneiss · Jun 30, 2009

If you count comics, I'll add Sandman and Fables to my list.

Shadow_Ferret · Jun 30, 2009

ChristineR said:
I don't mind metaplot spread out over many books, but I'm not a big fan of anything that's completely open ended.

Do you mean you don't like series that don't come to a conclusion? Personally, I dislike any series, trilogy or whatever, that ends. If I've come to enjoy the characters, I want to continue to enjoy their adventures.

Personally, when I'm at the bookstore, I'm more likely to pick up something that is part of a series then just a single self-contained novel, especially if I've never heard of the author. A series means, 1) that the story is successful, and 2) that if I like the characters, I'm guaranteed more of their adventures.

sunna · Jun 30, 2009

Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series
CJ Cherryh's Fortress Series
CJ Cherryh's Chanur series
King's Dark Tower series
CE Murphy's Urban Shaman series
Michelle Sagara's Cast series
CJ Cherryh's Foreigner series (I love Cherryh, can you tell?

)

Kitty Pryde · Jun 30, 2009

Pratchett's Discworld series--never anything short of brilliant
GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire--The books are so good and so different from other doorstop novels that I can wait another five years for the freaking book to come out. I totally believe in GRRM and patiently await the end of his epic writer's block.
KJ Anderson's Saga of Seven Suns-I haven't been inspired to read his other stuff, but this one is perfect space opera
Neal Stephenson's System of the World-Sure, there are only 4 of them. But they're each the size of like 3 normal novels, which makes it practically a series of 12. I have an in-joke with my dad about these novels. I told my friend that I couldn't get into "Quicksilver" because the first 20 pages were boring. My friend replied, "You need to read it! It really picks up after the first three hundred pages!" Well, unfortunately, it really does pick up after the first three hundred pages. My dad uses that line as an excuse to try to get me to read anything I think is boring.

kids series:
Finn Family Moomintroll, by Tove Jansson--Why can't there be twenty more of these? Why???
Brian Jacques' Redwall-They're all sort of the same, but I just love earnest little woodland creatures with swords.

ChristineR · Jun 30, 2009

Shadow_Ferret said:
Do you mean you don't like series that don't come to a conclusion? Personally, I dislike any series, trilogy or whatever, that ends. If I've come to enjoy the characters, I want to continue to enjoy their adventures.

Personally, when I'm at the bookstore, I'm more likely to pick up something that is part of a series then just a single self-contained novel, especially if I've never heard of the author. A series means, 1) that the story is successful, and 2) that if I like the characters, I'm guaranteed more of their adventures.

In general, I prefer series that will come to some sort of a conclusion, and that conclusion should be known in outline to the author before the first book is written.

Series that go on indefinitely tend to reuse characters, plots, and situations. Sometimes they get around this by introducing new characters or new generations or new cities, but oftentimes you find yourself wondering how many times the evil wizard has to be defeated before he stays dead. I can name some fantasy series where they keep finding evil assistants, leftover evil artifacts, new outposts of the evil cult, things like that. It gets kind of ridiculous. There's also an annoying tendency for The Good King to get old and die but leave behind a nephew that's so much like The Good King that you could just change the name and details and no one would ever notice. So I definitely prefer series that have some sort of closure built in.

Mr Flibble · Jun 30, 2009

Cherryh's Morgaine series

Dresden Files

Hmm do Pratchett's discworld novels count? Yeah, them

Saga of the Exiles

Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles ( haven't finished yet, but am liking what I've read so far) oh, and his Sharpe series.

Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe books.

There's more, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

Calla Lily · Jun 30, 2009

Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant-well, the first 6.
LM Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.
Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver mysteries. (Love every single one of them!)
LotR
Georgette Heyer's 7 mysteries (True! She wrote something other than Regencies--and they rock.)
HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos (of course

)

Exir · Jun 30, 2009

Harry Potter. Enjoyed following that immensely. My mom's a Potter-fan as well -- I remember how our dinner conversations would be entirely about Harry Potter for a week after we got our hands on the next book. Ah, sweet times.

Shadow_Ferret · Jun 30, 2009

ChristineR said:
Series that go on indefinitely tend to reuse characters, plots, and situations. Sometimes they get around this by introducing new characters or new generations or new cities, but oftentimes you find yourself wondering how many times the evil wizard has to be defeated before he stays dead. I can name some fantasy series where they keep finding evil assistants, leftover evil artifacts, new outposts of the evil cult, things like that. It gets kind of ridiculous.

To each his own, but these are the exact reasons why I enjoy many of the pulp series from the past, Doc Savage, The Shadow, etc. all had that sort of thing, revolving door villains, world ending crisis of the month, and so on. And why I enjoy Edgar Rice Burroughs. Probably also why I enjoy comic books.

Kitty Pryde · Jun 30, 2009

Shadow_Ferret said:
To each his own, but these are the exact reasons why I enjoy many of the pulp series from the past, Doc Savage, The Shadow, etc. all had that sort of thing, revolving door villains, world ending crisis of the month, and so on. And why I enjoy Edgar Rice Burroughs. Probably also why I enjoy comic books.

I think stuff like Doc Savage and Tarzan and Conan and such are more of "serials" than "series". A series usually moves toward a single goal (returning the ring, killing ur doods with a magic sword, retrieving the Magical Underpants from Teh Overlord of Doom, whatevs), with many diversions along the way. A serial can be read out of order and still make sense.

Namatu · Jun 30, 2009

I enjoy MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series. Complete fluff, and it's reliable for making me laugh, often out loud.

Shadow_Ferret · Jun 30, 2009

Kitty Pryde said:
I think stuff like Doc Savage and Tarzan and Conan and such are more of "serials" than "series". A series usually moves toward a single goal (returning the ring, killing ur doods with a magic sword, retrieving the Magical Underpants from Teh Overlord of Doom, whatevs), with many diversions along the way. A serial can be read out of order and still make sense.

I guess, therefore, I enjoy "serials" and can't honestly think of any "series" as you defined it that aren't actually a trilogy.

mlazzer · Jun 30, 2009

Only series I'm reading is Discworld, which obviously is as good as it gets.

aadams73 · Jun 30, 2009

ChaosTitan said:
The Kate Daniels novels, Ilona Andrews. Great heroine, great cast of supporting characters, and each book expands on the mythology of alt-Atlanta.

The Night Huntress series, Jeaniene Frost. Like the Kate Daniels books, this series has a kick-butt heroine, a sexy Alpha hero, an amazing supporting cast, and a unique mythology that keeps expanding. Book four comes out in July! Squee!!!

Love, love, LOVE both of these. I picked up the first book of each as an afterthought--what a happy accident, indeed.

I also love:

Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novels.
Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan witch novels.
Simon R. Green's Nightside novels, and now the Secret History series(love me some Shaman Bond).
Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels.
Barry Eisler's John Rain novels.

There are more, but those spring to mind right now.

MsGneiss · Jun 30, 2009

Also, on my list -

Fraser's Flashman novels, and James Clavell's Asian Saga, although Whirlwind kind of missed the spot.

The Lonely One · Jun 30, 2009

If Doug Adams were still alive...

MsGneiss · Jun 30, 2009

The Lonely One said:
If Doug Adams were still alive...

He would have the common sense to know when to let a good series end before allowing it to get bad. Unlike many contemporary authors attempting similar genres.

Caramia · Jun 30, 2009

Shadow_Ferret said:
Do you mean you don't like series that don't come to a conclusion? Personally, I dislike any series, trilogy or whatever, that ends. If I've come to enjoy the characters, I want to continue to enjoy their adventures.

Personally, when I'm at the bookstore, I'm more likely to pick up something that is part of a series then just a single self-contained novel, especially if I've never heard of the author. A series means, 1) that the story is successful, and 2) that if I like the characters, I'm guaranteed more of their adventures.

I have to echo that. Exact same thinking when I'm looking through the shelves. Though, had not realized I do that!

ETA: Most recent series I have been enjoying is Herbie Brennan's The Faerie War Chronicles. I'm having a second childhood maybe

Series You're Glad to Keep Up With

Around

You Lie!

What happened?

Around

Court Jester

i luv you giant bear statue

What happened?

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

On hiatus

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking

Court Jester

i luv you giant bear statue

Lost in mental space.

Court Jester

New kid, be gentle

A Work in Progress

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Alliteration Afflicted