Monday, May 03, 2010

The Bad Book in a Series

I made a promise at the LA Times Festival of Books that the next time I was part of Weekly Geeks, I would post earlier.  I think this qualifies.

The topic this week is that book in a series you just don't like.  Do you stop the series after one bad book?  Do you put the book down and pick the next one in the series up?  That kind of thing.

As you might have noticed, I am a series reader, so this would almost be right up by ally.  Almost.

Most series I read, I enjoy all the books.  Occasionally, I'll run across one or two books that aren't up to par, but the next one will restore my faith in the series.  And even then, I still enjoyed the weaker entry.

The exception to that is James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series.  The last good book was 4th of July.  Yet I am stopping by the library to pick up the latest tonight.  Why?  Because they are fast reads, so I don't feel like I am wasting a lot of my time.  And, since I am borrowing them instead of buying them, I'm not wasting any money.

The problem I have is that once I start something, I have to know how it ends.  Hence why I am still watching Heroes when the rest of the sane world has given up on it.  (Please, NBC, put me out of my misery and cancel it!)  Even if I start a book, and I'm not enjoying it, I must finish it or else it will drive me crazy.  And I can't just skip to the end, either.  I do find myself skimming a bit to finish faster, but that's about it.

Now, when it comes to a new series, I am getting pickier.  If the first book doesn't show a lot of promise, I don't tend to pick up book two.  I have enough books on my to be read pile that I don't need to add books in a series that doesn't interest me.

So if you are an author I like, I'll give you a couple of bad books before I consider cutting you from my list.  However, if you are a new to me author, better bring you A game or I won't read you again.

3 comments:

Erotic Horizon said...

Thank you for getting involved in Week Geeks this week...

I am liking your attitude to series and books in general...

I am getting pickier. If the first book doesn't show a lot of promise, I don't tend to pick up book two. I have enough books on my to be read pile that I don't need to add books in a series that doesn't interest me.


I will add in my case, age plays a roll there... Too many book too little time...

I also understand OCD and the need to finish a series or see through a plotline...

I am sure the library will be happy for your custom - as you said it's free...

E.H>

Mark Baker said...

I could probably not buy a new book for a year, not go to a library, and still not run out of books I haven't read at home. I think that is one big reason I have stopped giving most series two or three books to hook me.

Dave said...

I'm much like you when it comes to series. It takes a lot to make me give one up. At least 2 bad books in a row.

Last time that happened was Raymond E. Fiest. Man, did his series get bad quickly.