Sara Reyes | Adventures in World Building, or Let This World Go!

April 25, 2009

This week it seems everyone's been talking about "series" or "trilogies" or "quartets" or something implying a bunch of books all taking place in a world created by an author. Not necessarily one in outer space, but it can be.

Books I read this week, all good for me:

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Or it could be a historical world, as in Mary Balogh's Regency period, or it could be contemporary-historical-futuristic hybrid, as in Jayne Ann Krentz's "Arcane Society". Or it could be international as in Karen Kendall's "Take Me" world. It could be contemporary with paranormal flavors such as Christine Feehan's "Drake Sisters. Or thrilling contemporary as in Alison Brennan's "Prison Break." Each author manages to create a "universe," populates it, makes a set of rules and then invites us in to enjoy.

Recently some favorite authors seem to be forced into making a series instead of sticking to what they do best -- write a self contained world for a single book. One of our topics of book club conversation is that some authors are very good at "world building" and others not-so-much. We are talking about really good and favorite authors who can suck you into a book, make you forget all about other responsibilities and worries and then let you out at the end with a sigh of relief and thankfulness for being taken away for a few hours into a magical place that a good book can swept one to! So it's not books with plot problems or character issues or boring middles, we're just addressing the world building.

Sometimes I get lost in the story but brought up short by trying to remember -- is this a circle or level I've read before? Didn't this character have their own story in another book? Where is this located, I thought it was the east coast and now suddenly we're in California? Did they just change a hair color? Okay, so the hair color is easy to explain. After all I am a woman and changing a hair color isn't that difficult. But some of the other things make me sigh. And that isn't always good.

On the other hand, there are series I hope never end...Virgin River by Robyn Carr is one of those. Those mountain valleys and communities can live for a long long time!

So be brave and step up, tell me what series you really like and some that are ready to be ended. After all, all opinions are welcome, none of us are entirely right or entirely wrong. It's those shades that make life interesting.

Until next time... Get out there and READ a book...
Sara Reyes
DFW Tea Readers Group
Join us at Readers 'n 'ritas November 13-15, 2009!

And of course, comments are welcome AND rewarded! I'm not sure what's in this weekend's Fresh Fiction blog bag, but let's think about this: been to a signing this week, always buy books, hmm, might be something "interesting" to win! Yah never know!

Comments

15 comments posted.

Re: Sara Reyes | Adventures in World Building, or Let This World Go!

Hmm, I can't think of a series that's ready to be ended oh, except maybe Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series and hey, that is ending so that's okay. As for series that I really like? Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series and Julie E. Czerneda's The Clan Chronicles series. I totally love those two.
(Jacqueline Lam 6:55pm April 25, 2009)

Well, so far I haven't read Krentz/Quick's Arcane series...so no comment there, but I know I'm far from ready for Carr to leave Virgin
River or Susan Wiggs to leave Avalon New York the setting for her Lakeshore Chronicles Series.
(Sandi Shilhanek 8:05pm April 25, 2009)

I love the Virgin River series. And like Sandi (in the post above mine) I've really enjoyed Susan Wiggs' Lakeshore Chronicles.
I liked Sheryl Woods' Sweet Magnolias as well.
(Mary Hundley 10:43pm April 25, 2009)

Sara - Did you hear that there's going to be a new Vorkosigan book??!?!
(Jacqueline Lam 11:26pm April 25, 2009)

I like series, but an author who can't successfully do a series can really disappoint! I feel the Chiaverini (sp) quilting books have kinda fallen off track after starting so well! But so many authors out there can make the best worlds that just draw you in...J.R. Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Johanna Lindsey, Lynsay Sands, Julie Garwood, Julia Quinn....Just to name a few!!

I guess what I'm trying to say, if it's a fun place to be I want to continue to read...but if it stumbles or takes weird turns that seem out of character in future books, I'll stop reading the series!
(Beverly Bennett 1:35am April 26, 2009)

When I like a series, it feels as though I'm visiting old friends in each new book. That's great when the quality is up, but so disappointing when it falls off (Cornwell's Scarpetta series comes to mind.)
(G S Moch 11:58am April 26, 2009)

I really enjoy reading a series of books. Two that I hated to see end were Julia Quinn's Bridgertons and Lisa Kleypas' Wallflowers.
(Cheryl Castings 1:55pm April 26, 2009)

One of my favorite series is Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series. The 3rd book just came out and I hope there will be many more.
(Leslie Gladnick 2:28pm April 26, 2009)

I just finished reading Cara Blacks book Murder in the Latin Quarter and would recommend it to everyone.
(MaryEllen Hanneman 4:32pm April 26, 2009)

When I read a book that I love, I really like the same characters coming up again and again. I really like the Sandra Hill Bayou series. Most of the books are really fun and the setting is great. Just about all of her characters have a great sense of humor. I thought it was fun when the latest character who was just a boy in the first books is all grown up and has his own story while the older characters are in their 50's.
(Brenda Hanseler 5:59pm April 26, 2009)

I totally adore Karen Wiesner's Incognito series built around an organization with people in it getting their own story told. Her Falcon's Bend series is set in a location definitely in this world with central characters who stay with us but others who take center stage at times. The important thing for me is that they always wrap up the story. It's not ongoing, waiting for the next book to come. I read one by MR Sellars once that was a mystery that wasn't going to be solved until some time in the future. That makes me see red. I was really angry and won't pick up another book by an author who does that to me. Many of my favorites have series that I love and wouldn't miss. But each has a beginning, middle and end. I'd rather have a series than a run-on book that bogs down because the author has to finish it by a deadline but has no good ending so lets it slide. Looks like we all have our favorites so there's a lot of great world builders around.
(Dee Dailey 6:52pm April 26, 2009)

Hi Sara,
Great topic! As for me I used to read alot of stand alones, like nora Roberts but I adore her triologys too. As to a series in general I enjoy them and if the writer is awesomeness then you can jump right back in no problems. It is like visiting family or old friends. They make you laugh, cry and happy...they take you away from the blues, the troubles and problems for alittle while. As to series I would cry if they ended...Yasmine Galernorn, Jeanie Frost, Charlaine Harris's Sookie series and if Lora Leigh stopped her shifter stories! As to the series that has burned out for me, it would be with the last Betsy one from Mary Janice Davidson. I have read them all but this one was wow and I got that hard cover...
I just discovered Toni Causey and her Bobby Faye series, omg it is a funny, laugh out loud series that just makes you feel good and I look forward to the third one!

**HAPPY READING TO ALL**
(Chris Jones 2:22pm April 29, 2009)

Maybe next weekins subject should be Stand Alone Books, but for the last month I have been drawn to Series. I hope Robyn Carr writes a few more Virgin River books, and I have been reading the Uncommon Heros' Series by Dee Henderson. She has other series also and I am going to read all of them. But... sometimes I just want that single mystery that stands alone. Keep up the GOOD Comments coming!
(Yvonne Butler 2:23pm May 2, 2009)

I like series - i just have a problem with them when they are released 2 years apart! I've started waiting till at least 2 in the series are out before buying them, then I have a fighting chance of remembering the story. I love the Virgin River series, and am waiting impatiently for Diana Gabaldon and Sara Donati to publish the next in their respective series.
(Sandy Haber 5:25pm May 2, 2009)

Series are great, but sometimes I just want to escape for a while with a stand alone. Then there are those that should never become series, because the first book was great, but there wasn't enough to do two or three more. I love Kenyon, Feehan and Adrian, there series are always great. I also love Koontz, but he has disappointed me by promising books that never materialize (book 3 of Chris Snow series). I guess it just depends on the ending mostly. If theres a HEA, there isn't much sense in stretching it out over more books. If there is stuff to be resolved (lots of stuff) take it to another level in another book. Or tell me more about a character who didn't "star" in the first book.
(Nancy Gilliland 8:03pm May 2, 2009)

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