What type of ending do you enjoy?

Depends, if I'm reading a series of books I want and expect some type of cliffhanger ending to each, but on the last give me the worst possible outcome and I put the book down happy as a clam. Why? Because I like the whole idea of imperfect life and imperfect resolution to a problem. That being said though, I do enjoy the occasional happy ending. Switches things up a bit for me and is the opposite of what I expect.

fadeaccompli said:

I didn't like the first book well enough to go read another of the same length by the same author, even aside from the ending. But in general, I think there's a failure somewhere--possibly just by marketing--if a book ends on a cliffhanger and it's not made VERY CLEAR that what I am reading is not, in fact, a book, but a portion of a book. I mean, at least slap "PART ONE OF THE X SAGA" on the front or something.

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I hear ya. I was furious at that first book when I finished it.

It took the calm assurances of a friend who'd read the second one to convince me there was merit in giving that author a chance to redeem himself. I'm just trying to pass on those assurances.

But seriously, steer clear of the 3rd and 4th books. The protagonist is dumber than a stump, the plot has no narrative drive, and the writing is self-indulgent.

TroyJackson said:

Always has to have a happy ending?

Always has to have a sad ending?

Mixture of the two?

One that keeps you guessing even after it says 'THE END'?

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I have noticed that bittersweet endings attract me the most. It feels like the author is mocking me when the ending is very happy and everything goes well for the protagonist or he/she wins by the “power of love”. On the other side, depressing stories that let the protagonist suffer until the end without rewarding him/her in some way are pretty much pointless in my opinion. So…bittersweet for me!

I appreciate a bittersweet ending as well. Particularly one where the protagonist has made some small personal triumph or growth, despite the fact that not everything is perfect (or is indeed slightly awful).

Surprisingly, perhaps, that seems to be the ending I find myself writing most often.

I want the ending to be satisfying. That means it has to work within what the book has already set up and wrap it up to satisfying end. I read one book that end in a very unsatisfying way -- it felt like the author didn't know how to end it, so he had the main character commit suicide.

Bad endings are bad. Unhappy endings are fine by me.

Happy or unhappy, I still like a sense of mystery, something to wonder about after I close the book. (Usually, this smells of a sequel, but it's better when you're left to wonder without that marketing gimmick--when the author did it naturally.)

kaitiepaige17 said:

It completely depends on the story. Personally, however, I like a very emotional ending, whether it be happy or sad. I like shocking endings. I hate when a book just "ends." I want to know by how powerful the last page, paragraph or line is that the story is over.

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This is well said. This is why the ending of Updike's Rabbit Run is my all-time favorite ending of any book. I've heard it said that it took him a full week to write the last couple of paragraphs.

A mixture of the two.

I think it depends on the book and my mood. Mostly it has to make sense, and if there's a series I would like most loose ends tied up, and not just have the author in the book mid-action just for the sake of trying to lure the reader into the next book!

But mostly, I think I prefer happy.

I enjoy happy endings, of course. I also like bittersweet, especially within a series. I ended the second book of my Draconia series that way. There are spots of happiness--the good guys survived the battle, one of the main character's young is born--but there is a thick gloom hanging over them.

As long as there is a sliver of hope at the end, I'm happy with it.

I'm another fan of the bittersweet, but I'm okay with any of the above as long as it is a proper ending, a conclusion. I've read too many books that just sort of stop rather than end properly, and that drives me mad.

jjdebenedictis said:

Hyperion by Dan Simmons? Because if so, you need to read the second book in the series, The Fall of Hyperion, because they're really two halves of the same story.

Hyperion, all by itself, drove me to frothy-mouthed internet ranting because of its lack of resolution. However, once I found and finished the second book, all was forgiven. Together, those two books are one of my favourite science fiction stories of all time. Apart, they don't form a complete narrative.

Oh--and just so you know, it's best to pretend the series ended after that, because gadzooks, do Endymion and The Rise of Endymion ever stink.

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Lol, my opinion exactly. Although, I enjoyed Endymion on a certain frothy level, it was nothing like the brilliance of Hyperion/Fall of...

I love happy endings. I want satisfying endings. If everybody dies, I will probably not pick up the author's work again.

Anything bitter and sweet is good.

I don't like endings that are too happy.

jjdebenedictis said:

I hear ya. I was furious at that first book when I finished it.

It took the calm assurances of a friend who'd read the second one to convince me there was merit in giving that author a chance to redeem himself. I'm just trying to pass on those assurances.

But seriously, steer clear of the 3rd and 4th books. The protagonist is dumber than a stump, the plot has no narrative drive, and the writing is self-indulgent.

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So so sooooooo agree. 3 and 4 felt incredibly pointless to me, and although the ending of 4 chocked me up, I couldn't get the feeling of 'this didn't need to happen' out of my mind. I think I'll ignore the other half of the Hyperion saga like I ignore Kevin J. Anderson's Dune 'sequels'. (Although Endymion was still better than Anderson's works.)

As for endings, I like ones that conclude the the major plot points, but leave open room for sequels; essentially, books that can stand alone on their own merits. I'm also a fan of the various characters getting what they deserve, whether it be their reward or punishment for their actions. It's a reason why I disliked Michael Stover's Caine series; the resolution of the 'hero's' issues just irritated me.

I don't want sad. There's too much sadness in life. I don't want to experience it in my escape from life. And I'm not too keen on bittersweet either.

I like happy endings, like Star Wars, big celebration, fireworks going off, the evil was destroyed, ale flows like water, the heroes all get laid, and the sidekicks have to watch and make some wisecrack. Nothing less will satisfy me.