Screw Dan Simmons episodic crap

[kuatolives]

That is the LAST time I buy one of his novels. There is nothing more
dishonest to make a reader trudge through 750 pages only to find out the book is episodic in nature. Specifically, in Illium he spends those 750 pages
building up a big battle that he just says....oh continued with my next novel. Not with my 10 bucks it aint. When you pick up a book there should be some semblence of a self contained story there.

He pulled the same crap with Hyperion, ending book 1 mid sentence and saying 'continued in book 2'.

Forget it. I can't pick up another one of his novels without now thinking, 'gee I wonder if this is a self contained story', and wondering if I have to shell out another 10 bucks and more of my time to see how it ends.

Screw you Simmons.

[J. Weiland]

Go watch Total Recall. You'll feel better :D

[SpookyWriter]

Why not read the last page before shelling out the bucks?

[A falafel sandwich]

Or just do a second or two of research before deciding to read the book.

[JohnB1988]

I agree--an author has a certain responsibility to deliver a promised story, and not just use a book as a money-making scam. Otherwise we’re just politicians!

[AnneMarble]

The problem is that some stories are too big for one book. If I remember correctly, Hyperion was supposed to be one story, but it was so long that they had to break it into two books. (I no longer have my Locus magazines from that time, however.)

There are also some cases where a book was published in one volume in hardback, but when it became a paperback, they had to break it into two parts because of length. For example, this happened with one of Tad Williams' novels, and with the Legends anthology and with another recent fantasy anthology.

Besides, it's rarely up to the authors whether or not the publisher lets you know that something is the first book in a series. There are cases where the publisher refuses to label books as parts of a trilogy, probably because they know some readers don't want to buy books in a series or at least don't want to buy the series until all the books have been published. So readers might get the first book and get upset that they have to get another book to find out what happens. Worse, readers sometimes pick up Book Two by accident and then find themselves lost and confused. (This happened with Lynn Flewelling's latest fantasy trilogy IIRC.)

Also, I've known of publishers who made an author write something with a cliffhanger ending, no matter what the author thought, because the publisher figured readers would be more likely to pick up the next book if the first one ended with a cliffhanger.

[enchantedonyx]

What about those wonderful, publicly funded through your tax dollars, institutions called libraries? They have these things called books. And they let you borrow them!

Seems silly to me to complain that *you* spent *your* money on a book that you didn't like. If it's such a problem, check the book out of the library next time.

[Popeyesays]

That's a shame, I mean Simmons has written some sterling stand alones. Including the most horifying novel I ever read--so much so I have never had the guts to re-read it. It just tripped all my triggers.

But one poster is absolutely right, the author has little control over whether or not a long book comes out as a single volume or two.

Regards,
Scott

[DeniseK]

Yeah, but you don't end a novel in the middle of a sentence or say "find out in my next novel." That's horse pucky, no matter who's idea it is.

[kuatolives]

Here, I'll ruin the end of the book for you. This is how it ends: (750 pages and NO climax)

"Do you know what's going to happen there next? asks Nightenhelser. "In your new world?"

"Not a clue," I say. I realize that I'm grinning fiercely, joyously, and probably frighteningly, all signs of a civilized scholic or scholar in me gone now. "But it's going to be damned interesting to find out what happens next."

I twist the QT medallian and dissappear.


THe end

This is after building up a big battle scene to end the book. I dont mind a book that's part of a triology, but to so shamelessly leave off any semeblence of a climax is unforgiveable. Last book I ever read of yours Dan.

[janetbellinger]

I don't have to worry about that. I've never ever, since Crime and Punishment read a book of so many pages.

[Elektra]

I know what you mean--Vanity Fair made me wary of any especially long books.

[Carrie in PA]

Yeah, but you don't end a novel in the middle of a sentence or say "find out in my next novel." That's horse pucky, no matter who's idea it is.

I completely agree. At the very least, it should be made clear on the cover. Cliffhangers are one thing, but stopping mid-sentence?! That's just BS.

[A falafel sandwich]

I dont mind a book that's part of a triology, but to so shamelessly leave off any semeblence of a climax is unforgiveable.
If it makes you feel any better, Olympos doesn't have much of a climax either IMO.

[jpserra]

That is the LAST time I buy one of his novels. There is nothing more
dishonest to make a reader trudge through 750 pages only to find out the book is episodic in nature. Specifically, in Illium he spends those 750 pages
building up a big battle that he just says....oh continued with my next novel. Not with my 10 bucks it aint.

Screw you Simmons.

Did you see Back to the Future II? Did you see Back to the Future III?

I know what you're saying. NEVER should it be done. Let the story be told.

JPS

[Euan H.]

That's a shame, I mean Simmons has written some sterling stand alones. Including the most horifying novel I ever read--so much so I have never had the guts to re-read it. It just tripped all my triggers.
Song of Kali?

That book was incredible.

[NeuroFizz]

To the people who have opened the threads on writing trilogies: pay particular attention to the responses in this thread.