Here’s what I finished reading this week:
Book #2
Dates read: January 17-29
Title: “Crimson Death”
Year of publication: 2016
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #25
# of Pages: 710
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: While on a job that takes her to Ireland, vampire hunter and necromancer Anita Blake learns that evil is in the eye of the beholder.
My thoughts: Did this novel need to be 710 pages long? Nope. Not even close. There was quite a bit of repetition, some rambling (it is told in Anita’s POV—first person) and descriptions as if I’d never picked up the other 24 books in the series. I expect the rambling and the overly long descriptions, but not the repetition. And for that I’m dinging her a bit. I still enjoyed the story, and the roundabout way she always gets to the end, and I will continue to read this series. But they aren’t the “drop everything and read it” kind of books anymore.
Title: “Crimson Death”
Year of publication: 2016
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #25
# of Pages: 710
Paper or plastic: Mass market paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: While on a job that takes her to Ireland, vampire hunter and necromancer Anita Blake learns that evil is in the eye of the beholder.
My thoughts: Did this novel need to be 710 pages long? Nope. Not even close. There was quite a bit of repetition, some rambling (it is told in Anita’s POV—first person) and descriptions as if I’d never picked up the other 24 books in the series. I expect the rambling and the overly long descriptions, but not the repetition. And for that I’m dinging her a bit. I still enjoyed the story, and the roundabout way she always gets to the end, and I will continue to read this series. But they aren’t the “drop everything and read it” kind of books anymore.
I was busy yesterday uploading Ghostly Interlude for pre-order. Then I created my newsletter so it
could go out this morning with the buy links (talk about cutting it close!). I’m
too tired to post the links here, though. Gotta save something for Friday,
right? Right. Ahh.. but at least I got some writing done. Not much new stuff,
but it’s a start after not opening that WIP for 10 days. Let’s see if I can
create a streak of days working on it now.
So… How long do you stick with a series? Until the end or
until it drives you nuts? I’ve been known to do both. Most of the times I like
the series so much I’m sad when they’re over. I don’t know if I’ll be sad when
the Anita Blake series ends (if it ever does), but I’m pretty sure I’ll stick
with it until it does.
Happy Reading
Stacy
6 comments:
Glad it's uploaded. That was cutting it close.
If it's good, I stick with it. If it starts to go south, I give up. Never finished The Wheel of Time series because it got bogged down with no end in sight.
Alex - It was cutting it close for my deadline, which wouldn't have been horrible if I missed it, except I'm trying to be consistent with my newsletters going out the last day of each month. And I was trying to avoid having a second, here's the links kind of newsletter. Feels good to succeed at something. :)
Once the author gets past book 3 it gets thin--at least the series I've read.
Even authors I love seem to lose their momentum after the third book. I think it's because the characters get long in the tooth.
Some authors have learned to rely on other secondary characters though and that can lift a series out of the doldrums.
Maria - I much prefer series where it's a different couple each book, but the previous couples get a mention (or act as secondary characters). But I get hooked on those urban fantasy books, too, where it's the one POV. Gotta really love the voice/character to stick with it, though.
I think I read all of the Hardy Boys, back in the day! I honestly don't know if I'd stick with a series through 25 books, though; I guess it depends on how interesting it is. Longest series I've read all the way through is Stephen King's 'Dark Tower' Series. If George R.R. Martin ever finishes his book 7, I'll hit that one, too.
Jeff - I'm in the teens for several series. Dark Tower is NOTHING! Hahaha! I truly believe you have to care for the characters to keep reading, though.
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