Unfinished series

[elvet]

Do you need to have closure in your stories? Can a book give you as much enjoyment without having to have an ending?
Due to various reasons, there are some unfinished (WoT) or even neverending (ASoIaF?) series out there.
I tend to like the 'big picture' so I prefer any book or series I read to have some sort of ending. I'm a less likely to pick up something that will leave me hanging.
I'm reading A Storm of Swords now and I found that Martin leaves a lot hanging at the end of his books. Many books in a series have some sort of self contained plot line, but Martin's read less like a unit and more like part of a continuum.

 

[daisybee]

I have a strong aversion to not getting a good ending-unless it's one of those endings where you get a hint at what will happen after. In fact, I only start to read series now that have been completed, cos I have no patience at all. Half heated endings annoy me. I like it all spelled out.

 

[Lirineth]

I complete agree with both of you.

I am doing my best to not to read anything that does not have the words THE END in bigg letters.

On top of it I want happy endings, and I don't care what anybody says. Hell, after reading of the missfortunes of a bunch of people, creatures and anything in between, for a minimum of 3 books, most of them quite thick, I want the good guy to win, the couples to live happily ever after, and the kingdoms to be in peace.

Yes, I know, its not very realistic, but you know what? that's why I read 'fiction' I have all the reality I need around me, all I have to do is read the papers, watch TV or listen to those around me (home+work) talk, complain and moan about reality.

So thanks, so very much, but I want my fiction with it normal and necessary amounts of blood, sweat, tears, torture and death but with the happy ending and with no loose ends that leave you wanderign why the author forgot about X and XX.

Yes, I know, I sound a bit agitated. What can I say, its all this 'reality' around me.

 

[daisybee]

So thanks, so very much, but I want my fiction with it normal and necessary amounts of blood, sweat, tears, torture and death but with the happy ending and with no loose ends that leave you wanderign why the author forgot about X and XX.


You summed my thoughts up nicely! I need a big satisfying full stop too.

 

[Hu Barran]

I've gotten to the place where I won't start a series unless I know the "end" is available. I've become frustrated with writers who seem to write those "neverending stories" with (ostensibly) a healthy paycheck from each installment.

There are a couple of series that I'll probably wait for the "last book" and (with any amount of luck and some skill from the author) find some closure to the sagas. Otherwise, I'm sticking with completed series.

Hu

 

[GOLLUM]

One of the good things about Erikson and he states this was done intentionally was that each of his books is self contained with certain threads running through a larger story arc. Of course having said this you can't easily pick up a book in the middle of the series, you're best bet is reading from Book 1 to get full value.

Having said that I happen to not mind books that leave you hanging provided you don't have to wait years and years for the next installment to come out.

 

[Rosemary]

I've become used to reading books knowing that there is still one or two more to go to finish the series. There's been so many over the last few years, maybe starting as a trilogy, followed by another trilogy which you need to read to understand the following trilogy! So I usually re-read the previous books just before the next one is in the bookshops.

 

[Quokka]

That's another issue with starting an unfinished series is having to re-read the previous books depending on how complicated the storyline and how long the wait is. I read the first few Wheel of Time books so many times that I'm never going to go back and read the whole series now once the final book is released, with Erikson's Malazan I'm deliberately only reading it once until I'm atleast waiting for the last book. I'm really looking forward to going back and reading this series again with just enough remembered to make it an easier read second time around but I have found it a little hard to follow all the characters and plotlines and I'm useless for discussions in the Erikson threads .

Still they're the extreme examples I don't really mind starting an unfinished series, particuarly if I know its a trilogy or the dates for the rest aren't too far away, though with Erikson and GRR Martin I'd be reluctant to start another epic fantasy at the first book.

 

[urchin]

A good story is a good story, but I personally get more enjoyment out of something that has a beginning, a middle and an end.

 

[nixie]

I've got so many unfinished series going at moment I'm starting to lose track

 

[Giovanna Clairval]

A good story is a good story, but I personally get more enjoyment out of something that has a beginning, a middle and an end.

Exactly my thought. And series that un-end with unresolved loose ends (pleonasme, pleonasme) are irritating and also unprofessional, because they lack a part of the proper, classical structure of a novel. I heard everywhere that it is something a writer should never do, unless she wishes to frustrate her readers.

 

[urchin]

Exactly my thought. And series that un-end with unresolved loose ends (pleonasme, pleonasme) are irritating and also unprofessional, because they lack a part of the proper, classical structure of a novel. I heard everywhere that it is something a writer should never do, unless she wishes to frustrate her readers.

Totally agree with you, Giovanna.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Hmm I don't know, I think when it comes to creative pursuits like writing, you should never say 'never'. I for one tend to like endings where the loose ends are tied up and everything works out, but I think there is also value in a bit of mystery left at the end to keep the reader wondering after they're finished...maybe this is a bit more realistic as well.

 

[manephelien]

A few loose ends are okay, but I do like it when the main plot points are tied up, as in Robin Hobb's three Six Duchies trilogies, for example.

 

[Lucien21]

Yes it's preferable to have some kind of decent ending to a series.

Or if you are writing a series make sure the books come out at decent intervals. Unfortunatly WoT might never get a proper ending (although i'm sure they will cobble something together). The wait for each new GRR Martin book becomes more annoying as time goes on.

However most of them pale in comaprison to David Gerrold. Back in the early 90's I was enjoying a series of novels about an alien invasion "War against the Chtorr" with 4 books between 1983 and 1993 unfortunatly it's supposed to be a 7 book series and he's still writing book 5 (I think ) - Book 4 ended on a cliffhanger and it's fairly obvios Gerrold let the series go out of control and now no longer cares about finishing it or has no idea how to dig the characters out of the hole he left them in.

- Sorry Rant over.

 

[daisybee]

Lucien21- that would totally do my head in!! So you've been waiting all this time for Book 5??
Where does he live? Bombard the guy with so many letters that he cannot physically leave his house-and is forced to write!! If he can't carry on for whatever reason, can't they let readers know??

Note to self: avoid David Gerrold's books.

 

[Talysia]

I've got quite a few unfinished series, although I don't mind that so much. I'm just not fond of overly long series.

 

[jackokent]

I am still waiting for the end of Janny Wurts' s war of light and shadows and JV Jone's Cavern of Black Ice.

Really into both series but if they take much longer to finish I am going to have to go back and read the whole lot again or I won't have a clue what's going on.

 

[Anne Lyle]

Sometimes when a book ends on a cliffhanger it's because the original manuscript was too long to publish in one volume and the publisher decided to split it into two books rather than tell the author to just edit the darned thing

IIRC that's what happened to Lynn Flewelling's "The Bone Doll's Twin/Hidden Warrior" - maybe that's why the first volume has a great title whilst the second one's is rather bland...

 

[Lensfire]

I'm afraid I'm a coward - I won't start a sequence until I know the last volume has been published. A story (whether it is a novella or a ten book monster) needs a beginning, middle and end. If the end isn't there, I don't want to get involved.