Red Country and Sharp Ends necessary before A little Hatred?

[therapist]

I'm 40% through Red Country after reading the previous five books. Not loving it. Is it important to finish before A little hatred?
Also, I only just learned the 'Sharp Ends' novella exists. That at least seems to contain alot of the central characters. I assume that one is important?

 

[nixie]

No both Red Country and Sharp Ends are standalones, you wouldn't be missing anything by not reading them.
I've read both, enjoyed them but they don't really contribute to future story lines.

 

[Boaz]

@therapist did you finish red country, did you proceed with a little hatred?

 

[therapist]

No, I took Nixie's advice and didn't finish Red Country. And have since read all of the latest trilogy. Twice, I believe. Very solid books. Although I feel like out of all the books the heroes is still my favourite.

 

[Boaz]

@therapist The Heroes is a fun book. It takes place over, what, 120 hours?

And thanks for sharing. The latest trilogy was my least favorite.

 

[therapist]

It was the same for me. (I read the first trilogy 3 times).

 

[Boaz]

Yes, I also read the first trilogy three times. And I believe I read BSC and He Heroes three times. I might’ve read RC two or three times.

FYI, I read them completely out of order. I started with BSC and then read RC. Then I read the first law trilogy. Then I read the Heroes. And then I read sharp ends. (SE has about a dozen short stories. They range over a 20 year period.)

RC was my first introduction to the Bloody Nine. He comes across in BSC as a cross between Achilles and Hannibal Lecter. I had heard he was this phenomenal character from the first trilogy. And it took a few chapters into RC, the barroom fight, when I began to suspect.