Blogger: Etta Wilson
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I’ve danced around this topic of series for the past few days from the age-level perspective, but there are certainly other things to think about regarding what constitutes a series. My Books & Such buddy Michelle added to the definition discussion on Monday in her queries about saga(s). Below are some questions still in the middle of the muddle, and I’d like to hear your answers.
1. How many books does it take to make a series? Is three the minimum? Can anyone name a two-book series that was not just one book split into two parts?
2. What’s the longest series you can think of? Make that a series written after 1800 and not simply the disparate works of one author compiled into similar bindings.
3. Should an adult fiction series be numbered in the order the publisher issues individual books? Is that helpful to readers, or should they rely more on the series look and the author’s name?
4. Should all children’s series be numbered, given how much young readers like the feeling of accomplishing the reading of a series?
4. How closely should books in a series look alike? Example: If the first two books in a series have a woman’s full face as the focal point, should the third book also?
5. How similar should the titles be? Can they be too similar? Example: At what point do we start saying “one of those books in the first series by Alexander McCall Smith” rather than the individual title? (I’m getting confused now by all the “girls with the various tattoos.”)
6. What do you think is the optimum time between issuing titles in a series?
7. What’s your all-time favorite series and why?
Lynn Dean
Favorite series…hmmm…I’ve enjoyed so many. But among my favorites are Louis L’Amour’s Sackett books, Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series, and Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael mysteries. Why? The characters! Each features three-dimensional, fully formed characters that jump off the page. Readers don’t want to say goodbye at the end, and so there’s another book.
Michelle Ule
Based on how many times I’ve read it (them?), my favorite series must be Laura Ingall’s Wilder’s Little House. Five times out loud in the last 20 years; countless times before.
I also like Elisabeth Ogilvie’s Bennett Island series–for adults–about lobstermen and women in Maine.
If I’m engaged in the characters, three books isn’t enough for a series–I want more. Lord of the Rings, of course, is only three but a very dense saga-type three, which probably makes it sufficient. 🙂 Given readers and publishers are now publishing Tolkien’s notes, however, suggests three wasn’t enough.
Two does not make a series–that’s a stand-alone with a sequel.
The titles should be individualized, I can’t keep McCall Smith’s books straight, either. But I can name all the LIW books, and in order . . . I like them when they’re numbered, too, to help me read them in the proper story-chronology. I never would have figured out the Pern books otherwise. (Oh, wait, they’re not numbered . . . obviously I’m still confused).
I like the books to come out all at once . . . but that’s because I’m still a greedy reader at heart. 🙂
Sharon Kirk Clifton
1. I consider three or more related books a “series.” If there are only two, the second one is a sequel or a “prequel.”
2. Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and The Hardy Boys seem to number in the scores.
3. Numbering helps me because I want to read the books in order.
4. Yes.
5. They should use the same artist working with the same medium in the same style. Composition should follow a common pattern to connect them as a series.
6. As a reader, one a month. As a writer, it depends on the length of each book and how much research must be accomplished before the actual writing can progress.
7. Please don’t pin me down like that. May I list ten? Five? Okay. Okay. How about three?
LORD OF THE RINGS
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
Liz Curtis Higgs’ historical Scottish series
Read on!
Sharon Kirk Clifton
http://writersharonkirkclifton.blogspot.com/
PatriciaW
Seem like three is the minimum, although lately this also seems to be the maximum, to my dismay. I hate when I completely fall in love with a character or setting, and the author and/or publisher bail on me while there’s still so much potential. 🙂
My first thought was Sue Grafton’s Alphabet series, but I’d say Nancy Drew and the Hardys have to be on the top of the list.
I can’t think of a numbered series. Author’s name and look works fine most of the time. I do, however, dislike when I try to research prior books in a series I’ve recently stumbled across on the author and/or publisher’s website, and it’s difficult to discern the correct order.
Seems like numbering might work better for children’s series, although not required. Again, I think it’s more ease of identifying all the books in the series and determining the correct order, which could be done in a number of creative ways.
The look doesn’t have to be the same but it helps to tie the books in the series together. Same with similar titles.
Lynn Dean
In lieu of numbering books in a series (or perhaps in addition) I do love it when the artwork on the binder forms a picture of its own when the books are in proper order on my shelf.
Nicole
Three books minimum for a series.
Favorite series:
Kristen Heitzmann’s Secrets, Unforgotten, Echoes
Dee Henderson’s The O’Malley Series
Tim Downs’ The Bug Man novels
Steven James’ The Patrick Bower Series
Reasons: Great characters, enticing plots, well-written
Number them on the spine.
The covers should “relate” but be their unique renditions of the story inside.
Titles similar.
I would prefer no more than six months between books. So much reading in between waters down the memory of former book. Honestly, I think the author and publisher should have the first two books (or more) in the series done before releasing the first one.
Judy Gann
Yes!! Children’s series titles need to be numbered. Children come to the library and ask for, say, book #10 in the series. Often they don’t know the title of the individual book, just the title of the series. If I don’t know the name of book #10, I can easily find it, rather than scrolling through all of the author’s titles for one the child *might* recognize as #10. Makes life easier for a children’s librarian. 🙂
Children are serious about series numbers. They come in the library bringing pieces of paper with all the numbers (no titles) of the books in a particular series. The ones they’ve read are crossed off.
Michelle, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard someone mention Elisabeth Ogilvie’s Bennett Island series. I loved it!
Great series, Etta. (Pun intended 🙂 )
Robin Caroll
Yes, children’s books seem to lead with # in a series…I LOVE the Trixie Belden series…grew up on it.
As far as adults, Harry Potter series I think is a good length.
As far as my favorite, adult, in the CBA? Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series. Even though I read the series many years ago, I can still recall specific details.
Etta Wilson
Great responses from everyone. We seem to agree that 3 books is a minimum for a series and that children’s series should be numbered. (Judy I loved your story about kids coming to the library with numbers but not titles.) And I hope all series editors will see and agree that no more than six months should pass between the release of titles in a series. Lynn, that’s an interesting comment about the artwork on the book spines forming a recognizable pattern when the books are in order of release. I’m going to look for that.
David Todd
Herman Wouk’s “The Winds of War” and “War and Remembrance” is a series of two. I suppose they are closely enough related that they could be considered one. This is my favorite “series”, if it is accepted into that definition. Why? Because he does such a good job at making it about the characters without lessening the importance of the war history. Because he puts the characters in critical places to entwine them with the history without resorting to coincidence. And because his research and adding historical nuance is incredible. My second favorite series would either be Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books or, to reach back a ways, James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Saga.
The Hardy Boys series numbered more than 50, though I understand there were actually more than one person writing those under the name of Franklin W. Dixon.
For the second question 4, I assume you mean external appearance: dust jacket, cover, binding, page size. I don’t know that I have an opinion on that.
Lori Benton
1. How many books does it take to make a series?
Three would be a trilogy. I’ve even known four to be called a quartet. But I wouldn’t have a problem calling three books a series.
2. What’s the longest series you can think of?
Goodness. Maybe all the Left Behind books? I lost count of them. Or maybe the Cadfael mysteries. I think there’s twenty of those.
3. Should an adult fiction series be numbered in the order the publisher issues individual books?
Not necessarily, nor do I think the series needs an over all name. For instance, Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series is known by the title of the first book, though the other books have wildly varying titles from one word to seven words. But all her covers are similar, and I think that’s enough to tie a series together visually. Take a look a them on a shelf together and there’s little doubt of their connection.
4. Should all children’s series be numbered, given how much young readers like the feeling of accomplishing the reading of a series?
They should be numbered if that is necessary to make sense of the series (if the books don’t make a bit of sense read out of order).
4. How closely should books in a series look alike?
Similar covers make sense to me.
5. How similar should the titles be?
I think the title should fit the story, and if they can be similar across a series that’s great. If not, I think the individual story should be the primary guiding force for the title, not the series.
6. What do you think is the optimum time between issuing titles in a series?
Shouldn’t it depend on the length and complexity of the books? I wait years between the releases of some series I follow. If the book has won my heart, I’m not going to forget the storyline or characters.
7. What’s your all-time favorite series and why?
I love the Brother Cadfael mysteries, which are stand alone stories with a few continuing threads in Cadfael’s personal life that build gradually over the course of the series. But I came to these books out of order and it didn’t make a huge impact on my enjoyment of the stories.
Bill Giovannetti
What number is Janet Evanovich’s “Plum” series up to? She’s a blast!
Steve
“Can anyone name a two-book series that was not just one book split into two parts”
Certainly. A good example would be the books Heavy Time and Hellburner by C.J. Cherryh.
These take place within her Alliance/Union universe, and some might argue that this larger set of works is in fact the true “series”. I would disagree. The larger set of works has a common history but does not feature continuity of character or story line.
Heavy Time and Hellburner feature contunity of characters and setting, but are clearly two different stories. I..e. Hellburner is a sequel to Heavy time.
Now some have identified a “Company Wars Series” of which Heavy Time and Hellburner are books 4 and 5, but I don’t buy it.
-Steve
P.S. Of course, by the standard I’m trying to establish here, it’s questionable whether Henilein’s Future History Series was a true series.
But I do think if Heavy TIme and Hellburner had been written with nothing elsesetin that universe one could call them a two-book series.
Steve
What’s the longest series you can think of?
Mack Bolan – The Executioner
Megan
1. How many books does it take to make a series?
Absolute minimum is 3.
2. What’s the longest series you can think of?
Gosh, I think the Nancy Drew series. When I was reading them, many years ago, I was proud to have read all 42 that had been published. Which is why I remember the number. I’m sure there are more now.
3. Should an adult fiction series be numbered in the order the publisher issues individual books?
Absolutely. I get annoyed when I’m trying to figure out which book is next in the series and I end up having to look it up on wikipedia or the author’s website. Very annoyed.
4. Should all children’s series be numbered, given how much young readers like the feeling of accomplishing the reading of a series?
YES! And it makes it so much easier to get the next book from the store or library.
5. How closely should books in a series look alike?
You should be able to glance at your bookshelf from across the room and pick out the series. George RR Martin’s “Song of Ice and Fire” series does this very well.
6. How similar should the titles be?
They should have the same cadence, I think, but not be easy to confuse with each other.
7. What do you think is the optimum time between issuing titles in a series?
Personally, I like having a year between titles. This is pretty arbitrary, but less time kind of makes me feel like, “what, another one already?” and sort of cheapens the story for me. Any longer than that and I get nervous about the series being finished.
8. What’s your all-time favorite series and why?
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead is right up there, since it is my favorite version of the King Arthur myth. Though honestly I prefer to forget that the final two books in the cycle exist because they’re just kind of odd and confusing. The first three make up for it. The Saga of the Seven Suns by Kevin J. Anderson is a great series, and I love the fact that they are numbered!
Kathy H
Louisa May Alcott’s books were a series if you think about it. Little Women, then Little Men, Jo’s Boys, Eight Cousins and A Rose in Bloom. (Okay I did that without looking them up 40 years later! I really loved those books).
I also read the Little House series over and over.
I loved Patrick 0’Briens Jack Aubrey and Dr. Mautin series – known sometimes as “Master and Commander”. I read all 21 of those nautical books and had a lexicon to go with it (A Sea of Words).
And then there is Lillian Braun’s “The Cat Who” series. I have read them all in order of publishing date and that’s a lot of books. Maybe 30?
Any way, a series is a blast because you don’t have to decide what to read next! You forge ahead with characters you already love.
I am so excited when I have the next book to read already in hand!
Etta Wilson
So many thought-provoking comments on this subject.I’ve seen titles I hadn’t thought of in years as well as learned a lot of new ones. Like many aspects in the book world, our tastes differ somewhat, especially in regard to the time between issuing books in a series and whether or not different but somewhat related books by the same author are a series. Thanks to all for stirring my thinking.
Shannon
Animorphs is the longest running series I know of with 54 books in total. Its a series of young adult books written by K. A. Applegate that I used to read devotedly as a pre-teen. Hated the television series, however.
Stephanie Reed
I’m way late to comment, but I think the longest series I know is The Baby-Sitter’s Club, by Ann M Martin. I just checked the Web site–131 books in the series, and that doesn’t include 15 Super Specials. My daughter loved these books. She inherited several from an older cousin, including several of the chapter books, Little Sister (76 in all), and some Mysteries (35). Whew.
As far as what makes a series, I’m working on the third book of a series, but I call the three books a trilogy.
Etta Wilson
Stephanie, I think you’re right. I had no idea there were 131 books in that series. Imagine thinking of that many plots!
Stephanie Reed
No joke, Etta. I can’t recall if she was the editor and several writers wrote the books, but I know that’s how Trixie Belden was written, at least after the initial six. Then Julie Campbell told her publisher she wouldn’t write any more books, but since the characters were her own creation, she was entitled to royalties on any subsequent books. Savvy lady. I’ve read many of the later books, but they were nothing like as good as the first six. IMHO, anyway.