Welcome to the 10th monthly round up post of the In Death Reading Challenge! How did you do this month?
CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:
If you made a post on your blog whether it be a review or commentary, please grab the link to your post and enter in the Mr. Linky below along with your name so we can easily find each other's latest In Death posts.
If you're just keeping a running list of the books as you read them, grab the link to your list post and enter in the Mr. Linky so we can recognize your success this month.
If you're reading or rereading without documenting it on your blog, let me know in the comments which book(s) you read in this month. This will also help me keep track of who's eligible for the challenge giveaway in December.
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BOOK REVIEW:Purity In Death by J.D. Robb
Book 17
I guess the In Death reading bug that I caught last month was short lived because I didn't read this month's book! I'm on page 20 of Purity In Death tonight but there's no way I'll finish it by tomorrow night. Hopefully I'll finish it in a few days and come back and post a few comments on it here.
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DISCUSSION TOPIC:
I recently read a post titled "A Piece of String" by orannia on her blog Walkabout in which she reflects on whether or not she should be reluctant to start a series that is already composed of several books published and an open ended or undecided number of books to the series. She asked her readers if the length of series--whether it be one that is finished or ongoing-- should matter in your decision to start reading it. I imagine the answer for most of us participating in this In Death series would obviously be "no" since nearly all of us started reading this series at book one within the last year or so and there are now ... well, almost now ... thirty-eight In Death stories published and so far no suggestion of the series ending soon. By the way, the 38th story, Indulgence In Death, releases this Tuesday, November 2 2010.
In general, I think I prefer trilogies and pentalogies to really long, open ended series so I think I tend to actually try not to get interested in an established on going series. I already have so many books that I want to read that I already own or want to buy or borrow from the library, so I'd rather not add more to the list of books that I can't read fast enough anyway. This probably makes sense to a lot of other voracious readers, but is really kind of ridiculous if you think about it. Why miss out on some really great reading just because there's already several books available? Wouldn't that be a good thing? Thankfully, I'm not so naive to make any rules about not starting any long series. Especially since I know I could be easily swayed to read just about anything by some strong recommendations. Feel free to take that as an invitation ...
What about you? Were you previously hesitant to read the In Death series because it had so many books to it already? If so, what made you change your mind?
Have you hesitated to read other long series? If so, which one(s)?
Thanks for participating!
I have done so badly at this challenge this year. I have only read 1 book in this series.
ReplyDeleteI am courrently contemplating starting Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkisagan (sp?) series and not sure whether to start it because it is another long one. In addition to the In Death series I am also reading the Morland Dynasty books by Cynthia Harrod Eagles which is 32 books long as well.
Marg has beaten me. I have read none. *hangs head*
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am about to start Mockingjay, the 3rd in the Hunter Games series... which rocks.
I love series. I don't mind them being long, especially if their are some wonderful characters that I'd like to know more about. This has kept me reading Sherilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, The BDB series, Carpathians... I've slowed on reading these,but I keep watching out for Skyler's & Dimiti's book as well as Dominic's.
So it might take me a while to start a series but once I do... it's so on!
I read Remember When, story #20 to some calculations. It's two-part novel, first part by Roberts and the second part by Robb. This was a nice thing, combining two different stories with some missing diamonds. It was great to read a Roberts novel after many months.
ReplyDeleteI liked the first part more (grade 4.5), but the second, In Death part wasn't all that bad either (grade 4). Later I thought about this book a bit more and came to the conclusion, that I probably wouldn’t have liked the second story that much if it had been a separate, single story. So the connection to the first story made it better.
After Remember When I couldn’t wait to read Divided in Death (#21). In the previous challenge post Azteclady mentioned that it’s a good book relationship wise and I just had to see it myself. And it really was. It was so good! I want to give it 4.5 stars.
And about that hesitation towards long series. I don’t mind long series, but I think I used to love them more in the past. When I read a lot of fantasy all I wanted was to find long series. I didn’t read that many single novels.
I still haven’t finished The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I think I got to the 15th book until I noticed there weren’t any more books translated into Finnish (I think they translate one WoT book into three Finnish ones). It’s been a long dream of mine to finish the series (for almost nine years now), but I really should start from the beginning because I don’t remember much about it. And this time I would read it in English. But I’m hesitant to start it. I don’t know whether I could stay away from romance books for so long…
I read my book this month again - Holiday in Death. Yay!
ReplyDeleteWell, to answer your question. Yes, I was quite reluctant to begin this series for a very long time because of the amount of books in this series, AND because it's open-ended. Like you, I prefer stand-alones, trilogies and/or shorter series as I find that after a certain amount of books, the series tend to get repetitive and I get... bored! :(
Having said that, I imagine it all depends on the writing and the type of series. This is the first open-ended series I've started reading and so far I'll say that I plan to continue with it. :)
Like Marg above, I also have the fist book in the Miles Voskosigan series by Bujold in my TBR, plus I've already read a few of the shorter stories and I definitely plan on following up. It just looks too good to pass up! So, you're right... why not give some of them a chance?
I really don't mind whether a series has an unending amount of books. As long as there is forward momentum to the series and characters. However, if the series or character stagnates, then I usually don't finish reading the series. (I've given up on the Plum series by Evanovich because of this reason.) I've read the In Death series since it first began, and am sticking with it! I'm reading an In Death book now, as a matter of fact.
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a Happy Halloween!
Thank you for the shout-out :) I think now I wouldn't start the In Death series...the length of it would put me off. But, when I started it (IIRC almost 3 years ago...or was it 4?) the length didn't phase me. I think now I know how many good books are out there I'd be more concerned about...tying myself down? Which is a weird comment considering I could stop at any time?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Purity In Death! I'm a little behind with this series, but I think Fantasy In Death in coming up in my library hold list in December...
I generally stick with three book series. Ummm, no I don't. I'd obviously like to say that I do but when I really think about it almost all of the books I own are long series - Victoria Alexander's Effington Series, Catherine Coulter's FBI Series, Julie Garwood's Buchanan Series, Jayne Anne Krentz, Debbie Macomber... I could probably go on & on.
ReplyDeleteNot only have I read all the books in these series - I reread them! It's like visiting family! & I must say - I'm due for some Eve & Peabody!!
Terrific question!
Hey everyone! I enjoyed reading all of your answers to my question. So much to think about...
ReplyDeleteMarg...
Obviously you are not intimated by long series! I think that's great!
I've heard a lot about Bujold's Sharing Knife series, but not so much about her Miles Morkisagan series. Now I'm curious about it... gee, thanks a lot... LOL!
dd03...
Hello friend! :)
No worries over the In Death books... you'll get to them eventually if you want to. The great thing about that series is that there are ALWAYS readers around who want to talk about it, too!
I've slowed down with Kenyon, Ward and Feehan as well. Although I am currently up to date with the BDB, I am not reading them as soon as they come out. I am waiting for Skyler & Dimitri's story, too!!! Ohmygosh we have been waiting a looong time already. It had better be a good one when we get to it...
Maija...
The Roberts/Robb format of Remember When actually sounds really fun and interesting. I hadn't realized the stories were connected like that. I'm glad you liked it. AND Divided In Death. That's great!
Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series is yet another fantasy series I'm not familiar with. Perhaps if I saw the covers, I would at least recognize the books. So you are also a big fan of fantasy, huh? I am actually contemplating joining an online Fantasy Book Club for 2011 that features women in fantasy. I think the authors and the protagonist in the books are women. I'm too lazy to go look for the link, but if you're interested, let me know and I'll get it for you.
I can't give up on romance novels either. After reading maybe three or four non-romance books in a row ... I need to read a romance. :)
Hilcia...
I think part of the reason readers who are new to this series are able to stick with it even though it is at 30 some odd books long is because the characters are what drive the overall series arc while the individual books have self contained plot arcs. It's easier to follow characters from book to book to book than it is to follow a huge conflict that spans that many books. Does that make sense?
Another one considering the Miles Voskosigan series... do I sense a reading challenge coming on? ;)
Brandy...
I totally agree! The series arc AND the characters have to have forward momentum throughout a series or else it gets stale. I can understand your issue with Evanovich's series... and I'm still at book 5 or something!
Hope you're enjoying your In Death book. ;)
orannia...
"... I'd be more concerned about...tying myself down? Which is a weird comment considering I could stop at any time?"
Funny you should say that. I have a hang ups over abandoning a series even if I'm not enjoying it anymore. Why is it so hard to do??
Gina ...
See? LOL I think you are like me. In theory, you like trilogies but in reality, you can get into any length series as long as it's good.
I adore the Eve & Peabody dynamic!!
Christine,
ReplyDeleteFantasy will always have a special place in my heart because I read so many wonderful fantasy series in my youth. Then it was mostly fantasy and horror books that I read. But at some point I found romance… and I'm still on that road :) I think perhaps WoT series was my last touch with straight fantasy books. So almost a decade now. *wistful sigh* So perhaps some day I'll get back to them…
Jordan is a very famous fantasy author. Or maybe I should say was, because he passed away a few years ago. The series is still running because he left behind enough manuscripts (or something) about where the series was going and what would happen. There's this guy (don't remember his name) that has been writing the last books with the help of those manuscripts… The final book should come out next year.
Yay, Maija, I'm so glad you liked Divided in Death! *huge grin* Now you gotta read Survivor in Death (trust me! [big evil spider grin])
ReplyDeleteChristine, I am not sure I can answer your question... several of the series that I've stuck with for years didn't started out as series--or at least, I didn't know it, if they did.
For example, when I first read Suzanne Brockmann's Prince Joe, I only knew there were a few books on that series (the Tall, Dark and Dangerous from Silhouette) but then I followed her when she started writing her Troubleshooters for Ballantine, and now there are... fourteen? or some such of those.
The first series I abandoned was Chistine Feehan's Carpathians. I had read fourteen or so, kept getting the next one out and not reading them (I knew it was the same characters, the same story with the same confrontations/battles/etc--only supposedly more dramatic/bigger each successive novel) and then I finally faced the facts and chucked all but the first five.
I have not been as lucky quitting the BDB, though...
*cough*
As for the challenge, I reread two of the short stories last month--"Interlude in Death", from the Out of This World anthology and "Haunted in Death" from the Bump in the Night anthology. I liked them (particularly the first one) but I prefer the full length novels--more character development/conflict *grin*
Hmmm, it's hard to tell. For me, I'm used to jumping on the bangwagon early... so I never have too many books to catch up... but usually, I won't let the number of books stop me... Because the risk is missing some great books :P
ReplyDeleteI have not read the In Death series, but I agree with you about being drawn to trilogies and other series where there is a definite end in sight. But, if the series is really good, my mind has a way of changing!
ReplyDeleteMaija...
ReplyDeleteI looked up Robert Jordan and of course recognize his books, although I have not read any of them.
azteclady...
I guess a lot of readers would answer my series question with an "it depends" kind of answer, which I can totally relate to.
Feehan's Carpathians did get quite repetitive. I still want to read Skyler & Dimitri's story. Both are so sad and I've wanted their story ever since they crossed paths in Dark Celebration.
I like the deeper character development in the full length novels too. Was so excited to see Jamie come on the scene in Purity In Death! I'm about half way through...
nath...
For me, I'm used to jumping on the bangwagon early... so I never have too many books to catch up...
I'm so jealous. LOL!
Zee...
Okay, honey, your assignment is to get your hands on Naked In Death so you can join the fun. Try the library if you're spooked about buying all these books. ;)