With my newfound declaration to FINISH! ALL! THE! SERIES! I’ve begun to compile a small list of series-pet-peeves. Agh, I know…negativity. But these things happen! Some series are just my favourite things in the universe and all 4 or 5 stars and I want to compile a throne of their gloriousness and sit on it while I rule the world. But! There some habits and tropes and tendencies that series fall into that just make me want to gnash my teeth.
SO! It’s totally time for a list of my pet peeves and botherations when it comes to book series.
1. WHEN NOBODY DIES.
C’MON. You can’t show me a 5 book series and say nobody dies. Odds are someone important will die! I always feel cheated if I think an author is coddling their characters and letting nothing bad happen to the poor wittle dears.
No.
All the things must die.
(Unless it’s Game of Thrones, and then, please chill for once, George RR Martin. For goodness sakes.)
2. WHEN NEW NARRATING CHARACTERS ARE THROWN IN.
When I read a series and get to know the narrators…I get attached to them! I want to know all about THEM. I don’t want Book 2 or 3 or 4 to toss in Joe Blob’s narration, whom I have ZERO knowledge of. If I wanted to read about new characters, wouldn’t I start a new book?!?! The reason I’m reading a series is to continue on with these current characters’ stories!! Right?!? Right.
I’m not opposed to new narrating and POV characters though! OF COURSE NOT. I like it when they’re introduced as secondary characters first, I get to know them, and then enter their nefarious skulls.
3. WHEN EACH BOOK IS 9000 X BIGGER THAN THE LAST.
Because. Help. I’m a poor weak bookworm and it’s hard work carrying a book that weighs five hundred kilos. HAVE PITY ON ME, SERIES. Also, is it usually necessary? I know series, particularly fantasy ones, usually explore their worlds and have so many more plot threads to weave in as the books go on, buuuuuut…is it ever necessary to have 400-pages one minute and then NINE THOUSAND THE NEXT.
Hmmm. No.
4. WHEN THE TITLES DON’T MATCH.
This is a thing! It IS. Sure we say you “can’t judge a book by its outward appearance”, but let me laugh. We totally do. And I think it’s fair! A book is a WHOLE thing — writing, cover, and title. It has to flow!
For instance, the Red Rising trilogy just LOST IT when it went: Red Rising, Golden Son…Morning Star?!??! NO. IT SHOULD BE A COLOUR. I was down for Rainbow Stabbing, or something epic like that.
And I’m bewildered at Red Queen‘s sequel being Glass Sword. That…doesn’t go. No. Neither does Seraphina and Shadow Scale (althought at least it’s alliterated…small dragonish mercies).
5. WHEN THE COVERS DON’T MATCH EITHER. WHAT IS THIS LIFE?!?!
It’s totally a publisher conspiracy to change covers after the first book is published so we have to re-buy all the covers. ERK THIS IS THE WORST. I just want my series to match. WHY IS THAT SO HARD?? Stop changing things.
6. WHEN EACH BOOK HAS THE SAME PLOT SEQUENCE.
I do get kind of twitchy when each book in a series has the same set up of plot. It might be fun or exciting or full of delicious cake — BUT! It’s predictable.
- Rick Riordan Pattern: get a quest, get friends, nearly die, succeed, celebrate with blue cake.
- A Series of Unfortunate Events: find a weird relative, get adopted, relative gets murdered, Mr. Po does not help, Count Olaf tries to marry one or all three of the siblings…they rescue themselves.
- The Hunger Games: Get picked for Games, compete in Games, probably cheat, hurt people, eat food, accidentally live. Booyah.
(By the way, I love all those books listed. My eyeball is just twitching slightly because…WHERE IS THE IMAGINATION HERE, DANGIT?)
7. WHEN MAIN CHARACTERS’ NAMES ARE TOO SIMILAR.
It’s very hard to keep up up with large character casts in series as is, without everyone sounding the same. TAKE PITY ON MY POOR BRAIN.
- The Infernal Devices: Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood?! I STILL DON’T KNOW WHO IS WHO. This was rather ridiculous.
- A Song of Ice and Fire: There’s Osha and Asha, and Bron and Bran, and Rickon and Rickard. Halp.
- Throne of Glass: There’s Aelin and Aedion.
8. WHEN THE PLOT PAUSES SO A CHARACTER CAN HAVE A TRAUMATIC BREAK DOWN.
Now this is probably just me being a heartless Vulcan, but really?! Go cry somewhere else. I get so frustrated when there’s That One Book In the Series where everyone is gnashing their teeth and crying. Nothing really happens. It’s emotional but it can quickly become boring. And the book ends up feeling like a filler! NOT GOOD. Breakdowns = yes, but keep the plot going too!!
9. WHEN THERE’S A HORRIFIC CLIFFHANGER AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR FOR THE SEQUELS.
I’m juuuuust kidding. Technically this is good writing, right?! The author has done their job well because you’re totally hooked.
BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S NOT UNFAIR AND FRUSTRATING AND OH MY GOSH, JUST GIVE ME ANSWERS ALREADY, DANGIT. Is it so impossible to ask authors to write 9 books a year?
10. WHEN A CHARACTER CHANGES SO MUCH THEY’RE NOT EVEN RECOGNISABLE — OR THEY DON’T CHANGE AT ALL.
I’m all for character development. But there’s a balance! THERE IS. You can’t have zlich change. Like, as much as I love The Mortal Instruments books, I think all the characters developed splendidly…except for Clary. She felt like exactly the same girl (in my opinion) from book 1 to book 6. Hmm.
But then when you swing the pendulum and it’s like reading about an entirely different person? STILL NOT OKAY. Hence I feel cheated that Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass is 99% a different person in book 4 to what she was like in book 1.
If I fall in love with a character in book 1, I want to still see smidges of that character for the rest of the series. They need to grow, but I don’t want a personality transplant. IT BEFUDDLES ME AND THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
If it makes you feel better, I know two brothers in real life who look similar and are called Gabriel and Gideon, and I get thier names wrong all the time. It does sometimes bother me when I forget things, but as I read, it *usually* comes back. Or I go and beg someone on goodreads for help. I guess even in real life some people would die over that much time (but I’m not really a fan of violence, especially polarising conflicts without shades of black and white… and I read fantasy anyway. I just finished QoS, btw) Character development is good, but it needs to be realistic. Celaena is different from the Aelin who Arobynn found and different to the carranam of Rowan. But people change too? I don’t know on that one. Characters recovering from trauma are BORING. Thnkas for the post, Cait!
Shanti recently posted…Discussion:Reading Multiple books simultaneously
Omg, it does make me feel a LITTLE better. Although my family is slightly guilty because my brother’s name is Cam and I’m Cait. So I glare a little bit at that?! BECAUSE C’MON NOW. XDXD *ahem* At least I’m not in a book. 😛
So did you like Queen of Shadows all up then?! I agree character development is needed and it’s almost interesting how Celaena is different to Aelin, despite them being the same person!? BUT YEAH. I think it’s a little too different, just for me. *hangs head*
I adore you and your posts. And this topic! Changing covers is absokut
Josephine recently posted…Wow… I Actually Have A Life Out Of Bookish Stuff! | Top Ten Tuesday
Woops, I accidentally pressed enter!
As I was saying, changing covers half way through is so frustrating! And I’m so scared for Celaena to become totally different. I’m going to be started Queen of Shadows soon and I’m nervous! As for the other peeves, I definitely can relate.
Josephine recently posted…Wow… I Actually Have A Life Out Of Bookish Stuff! | Top Ten Tuesday
AHHH I HOPE YOU ENJOY QUEEN OF SHADOWS!! I feel like most people adore the new direction the series has gone in?! So if you liked Heir of Fire you should be good. XD I’m not a hater per se, but yeah…not enamoured like I used to be. OOPS.
I’m setting a goal to READ ALL THE SERIES as well. I’m years behind on some of these popular book series. To the point where i don’t feel like I deserve to call myself a reader. I know that’s pretentious of me, because anyone who loves books is a reader, but still. It bothers me that I very rarely know the series that many of my favorite Booktubers and bloggers are talking about.
What series did you start with? Where did you get all your copies for these series?
Thanks,
Ashley
Ashley Lorelle @ I Eat Books recently posted…Bookstagram–The Other Place to Share Your Love Affair with Literature
Ahh, that was me a few years ago too! 😀 I just wanted to know what eVERYONE was talking about, hhehhhhhh. So I just read and read everything popular so I could chat with people about it. 😀 Mostly I got my books from the library. Then I progressed to getting ARCs and now I freelance for free books so that’s epically fun. 🙂
Me reading this post:: *nodding* *exclamations of agreement* *pointing and clapping* *crying that there is someone else that understands*
I love this post so much! ALL the points are true, especially about all of the ones about Rick Riordan. His writing is SO formulaic and I just finished The Last Olympian yesterday so my annoyance at it is at its highest and for the ending of a massive series like PJO it just wasn’t sad enough. I mean, obviously, I don’t want any of the characters to die but I still think that for the finale, and one with such a big battle, someone major should have died…. again, I don’t want them to but battles = wounds which = death on occasion, even good guys!
Rachel Lightwood @ Isytria recently posted…{Bieke Reviews} Breaking Glass + Vision by Lisa Amowitz
Nah, I think you’re spot on about #9. It’s not good writing at all, imo if you have to hook a reader by leaving the biggest cliffhanger at the end of a book. If the book (and series in general) was *really* good enough, it should have already hooked us, and we’d be dying to buy the next book even without a cliffie! The cliffhanger is just a cheap, easy, and lazy way out..
Of course some cliffhangers are fantastic and leave our mouths watering for more. I think the most important thing is that the book should be able to stand on its own, and the cliffhanger doesn’t undo everything our characters have all been through.
manda | elfswood.blogspot.com recently posted…Uprooted
That is true! I never thought about it that way! I mean, I like cliffhangers from a writer’s perspective, but reading??? IT HURTS SO BAD. There are so many series that’s torn my brain to pieces because I’ve had to wait YEARS for the next book. *hyperventilates*
“All the things must die. (Unless it’s Game of Thrones, and then, please chill for once, George RR Martin. For goodness sakes.)”
THIS POST IS SO ON POINT HAHAHAHA. And oh boy, aren’t you a pleasant little fluffy teddy bear. All the things. You said them! Another pet peeve of mine is when characters are all over the place ina series and I can’t for the life of me remember which is which. Don’t just add like ten thousand new characters with each new book?! I WANT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Gawsh. smh.
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YES I AM A PLEASANT FLUFFY TEDDY BEAR TODAY. *nods* I’m not always a cheerful pineapple. Sometimes I get cranky. I PROBABLY NEED A SNACK, BUT WHO EVEN CARES. IT WAS FUN TO WRITE. hhhahaheheh. *ahem* AGH. YES. Too many characters is a problem. It’s so hard to keep up. O.O
When titles don’t match: sometimes it doesn’t bother me, sometimes it really does. I guess it depends on how much I love a series, because when I’m obsessed I want it to be perfect. So when a title feels off.. it annoys me. The same with covers. I would be horrified if they screw up the next cover for the Throne of glass series, but sometimes I couldn’t care less :p
I love character development, but a complete twist around makes me feel like I lost the original character I’ve grown to love. Like with Harry Potter; they’ve grown up during the book, but they always stayed true to their ‘basic’ character.
CLIFFHANGERS. MY HEART. DON’T DO IT. But sometimes it’s also a delicious kind of torture.
Similar names can be hard. The same pattern can become boring. Bigger books, don’t mind most of the times 😀 More story to love. New narratives; mweh, not a big fan of this, but it can work *looks at Lunar Chronicles*
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Queen of shadows blog tour. Dressing up the girls.
Ah, too true! I’m WAY more peculiar about these things if I really really like the series. XD I just couldn’t believe the Red Rising series messed up so bad! THOSE BOOKS ARE BUILT ON COLOUR, GOSH DARNIT.
And, zomg, I totally agree: development, not “complete and utter change” *sigh* Otherwise I feel like I’ve lost the reason I fell in love with the series, right?!
Okay, i’m gonna test the series I’m writing! 😛
1. Okay, people will die. But not too many. So that’s good. Well no… It’ll break my heart but you get it.
2. Ehhh well… Each book starts off with a new POV, but the old ones will still be there so… xD It’s much like the Lunar Chronicles.
3. Well that I can’t predict yet.
4. Titles do match, so yay!
5. I hope they will match, haha. xD That’s the plan!
6. Nope, I’m working hard to make each plot different!
7. Names are not too similar, haha.
8. I hope that doesn’t happen? XD
9. Ehhhh… I’ll try my best not to make the cliffhangers too bad if there are any? 😛
10. Well, I hope my characters grow, but stay true to who they are. If you get what I mean. They need to grow, but they also need to stay the same at some level.
DID I PASS???
Bieke @ Istyria book blog recently posted…{Bieke Reviews} Breaking Glass + Vision by Lisa Amowitz
SO BASICALLY YOUR BOOK IS DESTINED TO BE MY FAVOURITE, CLEARLY. *nods*
Welp, no pressure. xDDD
Bieke @ Istyria book blog recently posted…{Mirror Mirror} Memory Keys, Maze Runners & Mountains of Books
Hmm, I agree with some but not all of these. Totally behind you on the cover and the title thing, though, although just titling my standalone manuscripts are hard enough. Nobody dies — well, I suppose it varies, because some MG series I could tolerate that, but most high-end, esp fantasy, YA series, it does get unrealistic. I do get annoyed when books become thicker and thicker, although I suppose that’s also the publisher being willing to let the author not cut away all those little darling excerpts we all love but trim to get it back to industry standard wordcount.
I do disagree on the repetitive plot thing. I mean, yes, clearly imagination is important, but for ASOUE, I feel like the repetition was a necessary bit of artistry. And it did get subverted towards the later books.
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I hate titling my books to SO I KNOW THE PAIN, but stillllll. I demand perfection. I’m easy to please like that. *nods* And yes it totally depends on the books for the death factor (I should’ve mentioned that XDXD) because like contemporary series often don’t need someone to die. And if they kill off too many characters it stops being a realistic contemporary, right?!
I don’t think I’ve read a book past 500-pages where I think EVERYTHING was necessary. Gahhhh, but maybe I’m just too fussy?! I prefer concise stories, I really do. I guess too, if the series/author does well, the publishers think we readers will appreciate every word we can get from theM? And I DO get that. It’s just…I’d rather have a concise snappy book.
AND YEAH YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT ASOUE. And it did change after the Vile Village anyway, didn’t it?
Adds new POV characters? DID YOU MEAN THE THRONE OF GLASS SERIES? 😉 I don’t actually read a lot of BIG series, but yes, the title things annoy me.
Emily @ Loony Literate recently posted…How to Be Happy // A Memoir of Teenager-Hood
Shhhh, Emily, this was a subtle rant 1000% inspired by Throne of Glass.
HAHAHAH BUT REALLY.
*cries* I’ve fallen to badly out of love with that series I could howl.
YOU USED A COOL RUNNINGS GIF, C’MERE I NEED TO HUG YOU AND FEED YOU COOKIES. Seriously, where have you and your excellent taste been all my life? This is just getting ridiculous.
ALSO I completely agree with all of the things mentioned above, so with you on ALL THE PEEVES. I got SO ANGRY when a certain book series ended with a big battle and EVERYONE SURVIVED. WHAT EVEN IS THIS, I NEED DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.
I think the only one I don’t agree with it the books getting bigger one, because more pages = more time in book world =happy Rosy, so that one goes on the win pile for me.
Rosy @ The Review Diaries recently posted…Review: Never Never by Brianna Shrum
AHHHHHHH YOU NOTICED MY COOL RUNNINGS GIF!! YOU ARE CLEARLY THE BEST PERSON HERE THEN. *eats all the cookies* That movie is the best. SANKA. YA DEAD SANKA. YA MAN. I’M DEAD.
I am right here, Rosy. I shall always be here. *eats the rest of your cookies*
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ARE MUSTS. They’re not that hard, right?!? C’mon we’re only asking for BLOOD. Authors get too attached to their babies, tbh. Murder all the things. (I’m going to be a fab author when I grow up. Wait for it.)
That film is basically one of the most quoted films in our house, along with The Princess Bride. THIS DOESN’T MEAN THAT I LIKE YOU. Basically quotes for every occasion. Plus your knowledge and love of this film fills my little shriveled heart with joy so WINNING.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOUR BOOKS. They are obviously going to be filled with murderous death and destruction and break my heart and I am going to LOVE IT.
Rosy @ The Review Diaries recently posted…Review: Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan & Deborah Bancotti
All of these are so annoying. Especially the nobody dies thing–I hated that in Blood of Olympus. (Yes, okay. One person died. But that one doesn’t count.) And #9. Rick Riordan and his stupid cliffhangers……And you make an excellent point in #10. Too many characters turn into something they’re not, and that’s not okay.
I love your two-second synopsis of Rick Riordan’s books. The truth is, that’s exactly what happens in pretty much all of his thirteen novels. And Lemony Snicket is no better. Suzanne Collins wasn’t as bad, seeing as she only had two books in a pattern and then Mockingjay was different. But she should’ve killed off Gale and Peeta in Catching Fire. Would’ve disrupted the pattern a little…..
Ellie recently posted…The Initial Impressions Tag
Oh Rick Riordan only kills of secondary characters no one even REMEMBERS. *sigh* He does struggle in that area, right?!? Although I was saved the agony of his cliffhangers by waiting until the books were all out to read them, hehhhh. GO ME. XD Wiiiiise me.
I love Lemony Snicket and Suzanne Collins SO SO MUCH, so I’m biased to love their books regardless…but stillllll. It was pretty annoying, tbh. I don’t want to be able to predict a book entirely before I start it!
No character development is definitely annoying. I read for characters, not plot. After all, it’s hard to care about a fictional earth if you don’t care about the fictional earthlings.
And no character deaths? NO CHARACTER DEATHS?!? Unkillable characters irritate me. They’re all like, “Yes, I was just cut in half but, don’t worry, it’s only a flesh wound.” When I write fantasy (and some other genres, but mainly fantasy), I pick a character before I even start writing and put dying into their character arc because of cost. It’s hard to believe something was truly risky unless there’s a cost.
Still, I prefer no character deaths to characters who keep coming back like boomerangs. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Supernatural (it’s a series!), but it’s gotten to the point where, if a regular dies, I can’t care because I know they’ll be back in an episode or two.
ME TOOOOO. Alhtough I confess, I get more focused on plot these days than I used to. But still. Who wants to read a story about indefinite characters? NO ONE. Characters need to change and mature and GAH. They just need to.
It kills me when favourite characters kick the bucket — BUT THEY NEED TO SOMETIMES. It’s just annoying with the main characters are all coddled and we know nothing bad is going to go down. It lulls me to sleep.
AGH YES. SUPERNATURAL. But, tbh, only the Winchesters do that. *sobs* I Would bring back so so so many characters if I could. OKAY I CAN’T TALK ABOUT SPN I’M TOO EMOTIONALLY COMPROMISED. *runs around screaming like deranged penguin*
I go a little nuts when publishers change the covers halfway through a series. WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?! I just can’t even handle it. You’re also so right… though I haven’t read many series (I KNOW!! I have issues… lol) I honestly EXPECT someone important to die. They just have to. Great post, as always!! 🙂
Lisa @ Lost in Literature recently posted…Let’s Chat: Your Voice is All I Hear by Leah Scheier
THEY DO IT TO ROB US BLIND, THEY TOTALLY DO. IT’S A PUBLISHER CONSPIRACY. When I rule the world I’ll stop this happening. I will. Thank me later. *nods regally*
I argee with so many things that you have said. I like big books, so each book becoming bigger as it goes doesn’t bother me all too much, except if 200 pages of it could be told in 50.
I don’t mind titles not matching as much, I have never really thought of it before – but cover changes on the other hand. That pisses me off so much. I hate it. Especially mid series like come on, now I have to buy all of the series again. If it happens at the end of the series and I haven’t brought any of them – like re-designs then I am all good. I can do that.
The thing about Rick’s book – I get what you mean, but I study an archetypes class and hte hero’s story always kind of goes the same way. So it doesn’t bother me all too much.
Character names being similar on the other hand – oh gosh my brain cannot handle it at all. I just cannot do it. Like why on earth would you do that.
Yes! When characters change so much that you don’t even know who they are. It’s like I started to read this series beause I liked your character and now you are the total opposite and I cannot stand you. Obviously they need to change a little because well they need a character arc but changing into someone that isn’t them in any way, shape or form – just why?
thanks for an awesome post.
I’m not as terrified by big books as I used to be? Game of Thrones as helped me. haha. BUT. I do wish books were more concise. TELL THE STORY AND MOVE ON, YES. I’m a very impatient person.
I swear publishers are just out to rob us. THEY TAKE OUR FEELS AND TEARS AND NOW ALL OUR MONEY. ISN’T THAT ENOUGH? *wails and dies*
I can’t do the character name so so much, even just the first letters being the same throws me.
A little change, that’s all we want right? JUST A DASH. We don’t need an entirely new brain sewed onto their old one, omg.
It bothers me when no one dies and when everyone dies -looking at you there, GRRM. So maybe just a few people should die? BUT NOT MY BABIES. And don’t even get me started on cliffhangers! I love how Rick Riordan started one of his Heroes of Olympus series with: To all my readers, sorry for that last cliffhanger. NOT REALLY, HAHAHA. You evil, Mr. Riordan.
I love this post! 😀
Jolien @ The Fictional Reader recently posted…Review: The Empyrean Key
YES. Like, a middle ground?!?!? And I get freaked out when no one dies in GRRM’s books because that means they’ll all die TOGETHER. Hello Red Wedding, curse you by the fire of a thousand suns. AHhh, but I was saved the horrific Riordan cliffhangers by reading them when they were all out. SO SMART OF ME. XDXD
PLEASE SHOW ME ALL THE SERIES WHERE NOBODY DIES AND I WILL GO READ THEM. <3 (For the record, I hate when charries I love die. IT'S SO SAD AND I'M AN IMPRESSIONABLE LITTLE EMOTIONAL BILGESNIPE. Everybody seems to love heardwrending feels but I dooooon't! D:)
Ginormous books… I feel your pain. XD That's one of my series botherations as well. *nod*
I LOVE DA JAWN GIF. <3 *huggles peeved John*
Oh my goodness, I may have died laughing about your summaries of the predictable plots in those series. XD THIS IS PERFECT.
SHERLOCK GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIF. <3 (Sorry, I just get really into your gif use sometimes. :P)
"personality transplant". Wow. o.o
AWESOME POST. 😀
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Ahem. *hearTwrending >.>
Deborah O’Carroll @ The Road of a Writer recently posted…Yorien’s Hand Cover Reveal
HAHHAH OH YOU ARE ADORABLE. XDXD Okay, but not even death…just, like, permanent maiming?!?! I just want to be SCARED as a reader!! I don’t want to be lulled into thinking nothing bad is going to happen. XD OH YOU ARE AN ADORABLE AND WONDERFUL BLIGESNIPE. *feeds you small lemon cakes of comfort*
That John gif is EVERYTHING. His expressions = best part of the show. XDXD
AHHH I’M GLAD YOU LIKED THE POST THO. <3 THANK YOU. 😀
Gah! Yes to all this! Especially the book cover one! I think that is my biggest pet peeve. It’s a conspiracy, I’m sure of it.
Kelsey Hintzman recently posted…Shelf Control | 09.17.15
IT’S THE PUBLISHERS TRYING TO DRAIN US OF EVER SPARE COIN. *wails*
Only a year between releases in a series? If only I was that lucky!
Outlander Book 6 was released 2005, Book 7 in 2009 and Book 8 in 2014. That’s a long time to meet up with your book boyfriend again?
And fans of the Song of Ice and Fire, as you probably know now, think that poor George will die before book 6 is released!
UM. HECK YES. I’m dying here knowing that I’m reading A Dance with Dragons and THERE’S NO EVEN SET RELEASE DATE BEFORE THE NEXT ONE. And it’s not even the last, apparently. o.O
I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE DON”T DIE. lol I am with 100% there. If people aren’t dying then stakes aren’t high enough for me and I’m bored.
I also agree when series are repetitive, like Rick Riordan. I loved his first series to death, but after that it all felt the same. I’m honestly kinda sad about it because he’s coming out with his Norse myth series and I want to be excited but I’m not sure if I am.
At times A Series of unfortunate Events bothered me, but mostly I was just wrapped up in his genius way of writing that I didn’t really notice. lol
As for the other things, it’s not that I disagree, it’s really I don’t have an opinion because I’m not that picky? Which feels weird to say because I feel like I’m a very picky reader. Maybe I’m having a life crisis?
Anwyho this is my longest comment ever so I’m out. 😀
THE STAKES MUST BE HIGH! KILL ALL THE THINGS! MWHAHAHAA.
*ahem*
But seriously now. I don’t like it when authors moddle-coddle the main characters! I just get to a point of apatheticness, because I know nothing evil is going to happen to them. *sigh* It doesn’t even have to be death! Just…like, torment and actual bad stuff that can’t be fixed with a lover’s kiss?!? LOSE A HAND FOR GOODNESS SAKES.
I love ASoUE so so much ,hehe, so I’m not complaining. XD I liked it after the Vile Village when it changed up a bit. But I guess, for MG books, kids like to know what’s coming?
Agreed agreed! All must die, or at least be mentally scarred. 😀
Yeah, I feel the series was perfect for MG. .
Oh, I am SO with you on the Celeana/Aelin front… which is probably the reason that I haven’t read QoS yet. I still have The Assassin’s Blade on my TBR, but I don’t want to fall in love with Celeana again, only to have her transform into someone I like less… characters should be recognisable, you know? There’s a difference between growth and complete transformations. Urgh.
Mostly my biggest issue with series is when they are either a) obviously written to be read as a trilogy (like The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. NOTHING happened in that book; it basically just set up the next two books (which admittedly, I haven’t read yet, but still.).); or b) extended unnecessarily. I know, I know you hate people ragging on Cassandra Clare, but did there REALLY need to be six books in TMI? REALLY??
Beth x
Oh oh totally agreed. If I’m reading a series because I like the main character and then they change beyond recognition…what’s the point of reading this again?!?! *cries* AH OKAY I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, TBH. I thought the last 4 books were beyond brilliant and my favourite things of the universe. XD It was the first books I felt were dull and filler-y. >_<
1. Yes. Also, when nobody gets hurt. I mean, I guess that’s okay in some genres (I don’t want a bloodbath in romance!), but if you’re in fantasy or sci-fi or horror and your characters come out of it completely unscathed, like they’re bulletproof or something, I’m going to be annoyed.
2. I’m not sure I agree with this one. Sometimes you just need a new POV. Of course, if the author is going to completely discard beloved old characters for new ones in the middle of a series, that’s different. Or when a new POV is thrown in for no real reason (like Jacob Black’s POV in Breaking Dawn; it’s Bella’s story, so why is he narrating all of a sudden?).
3. Gosh, yes. This is one of my biggest annoyances about the Harry Potter series. I started to lose interest when the books started to grow. Some of those later installments really could’ve used another round of editing.
4. Rainbow Stabbing. Hahaha. I don’t know if it bothers me that much. At least each of the titles in that series has two words. (This is the one thing the Twilight series has going for it: titles that match!)
5. Not really an issue for me, as I read mostly e-books. But I can see how it would be annoying if you were going for a tidy-looking bookshelf.
6. I don’t think I mind that much. Well, I did think Catching Fire was a little too similar to The Hunger Games. And most of the Harry Potter books follow a formula (new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, weird stuff goes on at Hogwarts, Harry & co. break all the rules and get rewarded for it). But this is a hard one to avoid, since so many books follow the Hero’s Journey archetype.
7. Ack. Yes. Or any characters, really… not just main ones. I recently DNFed a book where there were characters named Mia and Meredith… and even that was too similar for my poor brain.
8. I’m not sure if I’ve read many books like this. But I do think it’s okay to have lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth… if it’s relevant to the story.
9. Yes. Or when the publication date for those sequels gets pushed back. (I’m still waiting for the sequel to The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare. Most frustrating book #1 ending ever!)
10. I agree. If I wanted to read a book about a different character, I’d read a book about a different character. (I disliked Mockingjay because of this. We know why Katniss is different, of course… but I still didn’t like it.) As for books where the characters don’t change, I think it’s mostly a problem if it’s the main character. It’s their story and there should be some sort of change… even if it’s small. For secondary characters, it doesn’t really bother me if they don’t change. Perhaps their purpose in the story is to not change!
I’m trying to think of things that bug me about series. One is second-book syndrome. Often, that second book just feels like a placeholder. The plot is weak and the characters waffle around like they’re just waiting for the real action to start up again. Another pet peeve is those series where nothing really happens and the story doesn’t progress. I had that problem with Kelley Armstrong’s Darkest Powers trilogy. The first book was really good… but the second and third books didn’t move the story along. They’re basically just a lead-in to another trilogy. Now that was annoying. Oh, and this new prequel thing that everybody seems to be doing now. I have no problem with it if the prequels are released afterward because people want to know more about the characters or backstory. But I find prequels like the ones for Throne of Glass problematic… because you really need to read them first to make sense of book #1. If a prequel is that important, it needs to be listed as book #1 and readers need to know that they should read it first. Otherwise, the first book they do read is going to seem weak and confusing.
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I wrote a novel here. Sorry!
Haha, don’t be sorry! THIS IS AN AWESOME COMMENT! 😀 And I appreciate you took the time to write it too. Clearly you are fabulous. *nods* <3
1. Too true, it IS a genre thing.
2. And agreed again! Sometimes the story exceeds the POV of the current characters, right?! I just hate it when the ENTIRE focus of the book shifts to this newbie character. I have no history with them so I feel sooo less involved. >_< 8. And traumatic breakdowns are FINE they just need to keep the plot going forward, I think. Or else..it stagnats while everyone wails. And Gah. I also hate it when a plot pauses for a romantic session. Be romantic AND keep the plot going. XD DO I ASK TOO MUCH, ZOMG. 10. And yesss, I think it's super important to feel that there's an emotional point to the character's journey. (I mean, I loved Mockingjay, hehe.) And sometimes I think the secondary characters do MUCH more than the main ones. As much as I love The Mortal Instruments OMG THE SECONDARY CHARACTERS WERE 50000% BETTER THAN THE MAIN DISHES. Second book syndrome SUCKS. The second A Song of Ice and Fire book suffers form it SO BAD I nearly fell asleep 99 times.
Oh but really? I didn’t think you needed the prequels for Throne of Glass so much. 😛 I DO think it’s ridiculous that they’re novellas. BAH. HUMBUG. They’re totally a novel and you can’t read those novellas out of order…ergo, novel. Not novella. -_-
Waaah why would books in a series have titles & covers that don’t match?!?! It is painful. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IF THIS BOOK THAT LOOKS KINDA LIKE THIS OTHER BOOK ARE PART OF THE SAME SERIES IF THERE IS NOTHING SIMILAR IN THEIR APPEARANCE?? Ugh, I hate it when characters have pages and pages and pages of emotional breakdowns. I mean yeah I feel for them and all BUT PLEASE CAN WE HAVE SOME ACTION NOW. I felt Mockingjay was pretty much two thirds Katniss and her various traumas. Yes! I’m not the only one who got confused between Gideon and Gabriel Lightwood!
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EXACTLY!! SERIES SHOULDN’T MAKE US ASK THESE THINGS. THEY SHOULD MATCH AND BE BEAUTIFUL TOGETHER AND DO AS THEY’RE TOLD. *hyperventilates* Tbh, I still have no idea which Lightwood married Sophie. o.O Cassandra Clare could’ve used their names interchangeably and I WOULDN’T HAVE NOTICED.
Book series that go wayyyyy past when they are supposed to. Like The Mythos Academy series could have easily have been 4 books instead of 6 or the Crossfire series should have stayed a trilogy to prevent me from simultaneous mindless drama and no plot progression.
Sometimes I don’t mind the alternate POV addition…but I agree it can be pretty useless. Allegiant is one case where it was pretty useless.
And Clary…my least favourite part of the fantastic Mortal Instruments series. Once a whiny girl, always a whiny girl.
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I always get annoyed at filler books. >_< Although I know one person's least favourite book in a series is another person's favourite. SO IT'S HARD. But yes. I feel like sometimes series go on longer than they have plot for. *sigh*
I can do without the deaths, ha ha. I once read a book, that I cannot remember the title of right now, which had about five secondary characters with similar names. I kept having to go back to see who was who (A HUGE PET PEEVE OF MINE) and finally I think they all just morphed into this Frankenstein Monster character made up of bits and pieces of everyone. No wonder I don’t remember the book. Yes with the non-matching covers. I just noticed the other day that two of the five of the seven Septimus Heap hardcovers I have, have slightly different spines! And then there is the Birthright trilogy (the chocolate books) where they made the middle book different on purpose! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
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Yes yes I NEVER like to have to look back. Not to see who’s narrating or who the heck who is or ANYTHING. Morphed into Frankenstein’s monster. HAHHHH. OMG YOU ARE WONDERFUL. XD
Wait. The middle book is different on purpose? WHAT VILLAINY IS THIS.
I totally agree! I hate waiting a year for the next book. I WANT ALL THE BOOKS NOW!!
Also, the stuff you mentioned about Queen of Shadows/Throne of Glass, you’re basically reading my mind. I have a post scheduled to go up this weekend where I talk about the annoying Celeana/Aelin character shift business, AND I just published one talking about switching POVs. Great minds think alike.
Anyways, yes yes yes to everything on your list!
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Ohhh so you were annoyed about it too in Queen of Shadows? OMG THANK THE BOOKISH WORLD! I WAS SO SCARED I WAS ALONE. HAHA. XD I really didn’t have a good time with QoS, which sucks because my love of the first two books is infinite. but QoS has basically soured the whole series for me. I’m totally off to read your post now. xD
LOL, I’m pretty sure this is 90% a Throne of Glass rant. 😛
1 I don’t like unnecessary deaths in books (ahem, G.R.R. Martin), but do agree that it’s a bit far-fetched when characters unrealistically survive unlikely situations.
3. I like big books when they work, but I don’t appreciate when the last book is as big as the first three put together. *cough* Winter *cough* In reality, there are very few cases when 1000 pages are necessary.
6. Haha, Rick Riordan’s books are so formulaic. I can only handle them as audiobooks.
7. I agree about names. I also hate stupid names in general. (Katniss? Really?)
9. I like mild cliffhangers, but anything more extreme is overkill.
10. I’m trying to think of other examples of this. I know it’s bothered me before, but I’m having a hard time remembering.
Some of my series pet peeves are when they drag on unnecessarily only because the author is making money or when basically nothing happens in the second book.
SHHHH. DON’T SELL ME OUT, MARAIA. XDD Okay, but it was definitely inspired. Although, aren’t you proud? I limited to calling GoT out only…twice. Go me. *awards self with cake*
I think GRRM takes it too far. Like, there comes a point where you just feel this depressing sort of interest in the characters because you don’t trust them to live. Not good. I don’t want to avoid picking up a book because I know nobody lives. *sigh*
WINTER IS SCARING ME TBH. And like I had zero worries about it but…QoS…It’s ruined my trust for all series at the moment. >_> It did not make good use of 600 pages.
I kind of DO like cliffhangers…iF I HAVE THE NEXT BOOK IN MY CLAMMY PAWS. *hyperventilates* Which is like never. I need to read more old series and avoid the new ones. XDD
Filler books aren’t fun. 🙁
Hah love that last Sherlock quote. I don’t think I’ve read a series yet where the character doesn’t change at all or changes wayy too much, but I think that would drive me nuts too. Very unrealistic!
But seriously! When nobody dies. That makes zero sense to me in a long series.
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Yesss… I lose a bit of interest, actually, because I feel like all the characters are too safe, and so who cares what happens?! We readers need to be kept ON EDGE. XDXD
Both the new POVs and the not-matching titles bug me . I actually winced when I read about the Morning Star thing. It should be like Silver Star or something. Orange Star. I dunno, something with a color.
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Okay, okay, Silver Star probably works better than Rainbow Stabbing. BUT STILL. It should’ve been a colour!! I don’t get how they totally messed that up!!
That last one especially, grr. I hate it when I can’t recognize the characters I love, and I also hate it when the books change drastically in tone. Like, if we have two serious but funny books and then an EVERYTHING IS GOING TO DIE PLUS DARKNESS AND ANGST without any of the similar strains, it can throw me. I spend half the book trying to figure out if I’m even reading the right thing or if the author accidentally wrote this awful thing and didn’t mean for it to be published. I want there to be that sense of continuity. And it doesn’t have to be all in your face or anything, but I’d like it to be there. *gets off high horse because I’m writing a trilogy and worried about this very problem*
I do like me my deaths, but G.R.R. Martin may have taken your advice a little too seriously. I think there should be a balance. The book can’t be too awful and depressing, or it won’t be as fun to read. And let’s face it–reading is about fun, as much as it is about learning and whatnot. But I agree–it’s not believable when characters go throw awful stuff but no one important dies. *blinks* Like, how even?
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YES. It’s like we’ve been told we’re getting one thing but then HAHA NOPE. YOU’RE GETTING SOMETHING ELSE, DEAL. And it’s so…disorientating? And kinda lying, really? I feel like things need to flow instead of suddenly — BAH. THIS IS A NEW BOOK. It needs to match. Titles, plots, characters…it all needs to fit together. IS THAT TO OMUCH TO ASK?!?!
GRRM is basically…no. To everything. NO STAHP HURTING ALL THE BABIES. *wails* I think it can be a bit off-putting if there’s too much death. Like I went for weeks without picking up one of his books because I didn’t want my favourites to die. XD And even death isn’t necessary if the main characters actually get REALLY hurt or something. None of these flesh wounds. Lop off a leg! HUZZAH!
(Can’t you just wait until I get published? *buries all characters*)
Yes! Tell me about it! Why would publishers change the covers mid-series, gah! And massive books. T_T I think it was one of the reasons I didn’t enjoy the last Harry Potter books as much as the first three – because they were massive. It was interesting plot and story telling, but not interesting enough to captivate me through the needless bits that felt like exposition (particularly in Deathly Hallows).
Though, A Series of Unfortunate Events managed to have the feel of completely different plots despite the same overarching sequence; and, of course, the mystery was slowly unfolding, too, with each piece of the puzzle. Hmm, don’t know what I think of #6 now.
The only one I disagree with you about is the matching titles. Yeah, it’s kind of annoying if there’s been a pattern in the first couple of books and the third/fourth/nth breaks it, but I’ve always found it annoying that books in a series have to have some kind of pattern, whether it be syntax or the fact they contain a colour/object/description. Especially contemporaries which aren’t about the same characters, or have irrelevant cameos from the MC of another book, like the heroine in book1 is the sister of the hero in book2 or something (okay, I’m simplifying to genre romance, but I don’t read very much contemporary YA, so I can only guess from glancing at series like Anna and the French Kiss).
Also, I can see how Glass Sword follows Red Queen, when one boils it down to its skeleton: quality of object + object. Granted, that’s tenuous because a queen is to a sword what a fish is to a mop , but I am feeling the link, dude.
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I just about died in Harry Potter 5 because I felt it was soooo booooring in the beginning. Like 400 pages of them cleaning house and doing sums and only THEN do we get a battle?! I think this is like 94% of the reason I’m not keen on reading the last two. (Although I will at some point, I promise! XD)
And true, true with ASOUE. Plus, after the Vile Village the plots were all different, right!? SO THAT IS GOOD.
All the Anna and the French Kiss books tie in plot-wise a bit. But, I don’t know. 😛 I like it! It helps me to remember that they all go together, you know?! And they just look orderly. XD I LIKE ORDERLY THINGS. hehe
But Queen isn’t an object like a sword is!!! BUT YEAH YOU’RE RIGHT. There is still a sort of link. I’m also not happy at The Winner’s Curse, the Winner’s Crime and…The Winner’s Kiss. IT SOUNDS RIGHT BUT IT DOESN’T LOOK RIGHT.
I hate cover changes. ESpecially when a book has a great cover and then all of a sudden there’s a movie tie-in cover that sucks. Not that they all suck… but some do. 🙂 As for Hunger Games, I never read those but did see the first two movies, and was struck by hos similar they were- boring leadup to the Games and then some OK games action, but kind of underwhelming. that might just be me tho. 🙂
And #9- GRRM I’m looking at you!! Good grief, cliffhangers in the last book AND a multi year wait… gah!
I still adore The Hunger Games (they’re like 5-star books for me heheh) BUT I can’t deny I was totally weirded out when book 2 was rehashing book 1. I mean, didn’t we just read this?!?! At least the Games themselves had different obstacles. *nods*
OMG. GRRM IS NOT A NICE AUTHOR, THAT IS FOR SURE. And like indefinite waits between books?!?!? WHY IS THAT EVEN LEGAL. OMG.
I am the worst when it comes to character names, if they have the same starting letter already I am lost. I prefer it if character names are very different, makes it easier to remember. I also hate non matching covers, especially when I buy physical copies. I kinda like cliffhangers when done well and you don’t have to wait too long for a sequel. I like to see how what happens in a story changes the characters, they do have to be recognizeable ofcourse, but you have to notice they have been trhough things. Great post!
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OH oh I agree. They need to have different letter names too, especially if they’re main characters. Cliffhangers are usually quite awesome. hehe. And I do love them….IF I have the second book on hand. I’m a wimp! I HATE NOT KNOWING. XD
COVER CHANGES ARE THE WORST. Especially when they do it near the end of a series, and make it such a drastic change. >_<
I'm usually alright with remembering names in general, but the second two characters are introduced with similar ones I'm a goner. You think it'd be helpful to have siblings have closely related names, but nope, it's just mind-boggingly confusing instead.
YES. And then you have to either rebuy ALL the books or else never have a matching set. Like, what is one to do??! CRY. BASICALLY.
I. Share. Them. All. Except the last one if it’s done well. What is one of the worst things? WHEN THE BOOK FEELS LIKE A FILLER. Like it’s just there because why not. Ugh. I feel like I’m being stolen money because the book is unnecessary. Ugh, ugh, ugh. And I knowwww what you feel about #1. It’s like, take risk, please! It’s boring and too safe! That doesn’t mean I want my favourite characters to die, but you get me.
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TRUE. I like a bit of a angsty feels fest, I DO. I just want the plot to keep going and not have a breakdown with the character so we have to read pages and pages of tears and bitterness. *sigh* (I am an unfeeling melon. xD) And filler books are just. the. worst. It’s disappointing, almost?!? Like “I WAITED A WHOLE YEAR AND THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE GIVING ME?!?!” hehe
Awesome post! I never thought about it before, but yes, I hate it when the titles in a series don’t match! And changing viewpoints? That is THE worst. Also, I hate it when the characters don’t develop well, I mean an author has multiple books to develop characters, so it’s really disappointing when they don’t get around to doing that.
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YES! Development is super important, right??!!? And if a book is going to be a series, then I want to see things happen and change in the characters. XDD
I am definitely on board with Rainbow Stabbing. We should start a petition! (I haven’t even read Red Rising yet and that bothered me! I mean… WHY!? Just why?) About the POV thing: Also, don’t change the POV on the last book because you plan to kill of the main character, because I WILL KNOW that’s why you are doing it, and I will get angry for A) being spoiled by the author, and B) Killing off the main character. (Clearly, I am not over That One Book.)
How do you keep track of these Game of Thrones people!? I was confused just reading it. Like “wait, didn’t she already say that name?”. Those are really bad. And yeah, Clary didn’t change much. Also, she bored me. She was like, my least favorite character in that whole mess.
I actually agree about the NO ONE dying thing, especially if it is the type of book where people WOULD die. I get that a contemporary, fluffy series is probably not going to go killing off the characters, but if you’re in some kind of battle and everyone walks away unscathed? Yeah, not buying that! Also, I am really not wanting to read Queen of Shadows. I am so scared. Is it even worth reading? Or should I just… bury it in the backyard and pretend it never happened?
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WHY HAVEN’T YOU READ RED RISING YET, SHANNON? GET ONTO THIS. It’ll hurt you and probably make you cry, bUT I AM HERE WITH SHOCK BLANKETS AND COMFORTING TEA. #amthebestever But we really ought to petition for a name change. My version works soooooo much better.
If a book is going to be dual Pov START WITH IT BEING DUAL POV. OMG. I agree, it’s too jarring.
HAAAA. Yes. I think I would be dead for Game of Thrones if it wasn’t for the audio. Like when you’re saying a name out loud it doesn’t even occur to you that they’re the same sometimes. And usually the characters with similar names never even meet. BUT STILL. Asha and Osha are the worst. Ugh.
I definitely get irked when a new POV is thrown in. Like, with Divergent, I got so used to Tris’ voice, and then all of a sudden in book three–hello, new narrator! And what was even worse was that I couldn’t tell their “voices” apart–I kept having to flip back to the start of a chapter to double-check who was narrating. Ugh.
Or, I’ll be reading a book written in the first person, and suddenly a third-person narrative of a different character pops in–hello, stop, what even is this. It makes my readerly head hurt. Stick to one first-person or narration or two third-person narrations but DON’T MIX THEM. I don’t why but this is the worst.
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YES! One of my biggest pet peeves is changing the voice like that. Having a new narrator is confusing enough, but it’s so much worse when it goes from first to third or vice versa.
Ciera @ The Write Things
Ciera Horton recently posted…New Format, New Features
YES. I agree with that. Like I thought Tobias’ voice was exactly the same as Tris’. And the short stories from his POV in the Divergent short-story-collection? POINTLESS. He wasn’t even thinking that differently from Tris the entire time! :O And also I think if a series is going to be dual narrative, it needs to START being dual narrative. Or else we know something is up, right?!
I’m actually okay with the 1st vs 3rd or whatever because it helps me differentiate the characters. XD
YES TO ALL OF THESE. I hate when series aren’t consistent – whether it be in the covers, the titles, or the way it’s written. Like when authors add random characters or POVs in the middle of a series that don’t end up working or enhancing the story it really slows down the pace (especially in the narrative sense). And cliffhangers are the bane of my existence! *cries for a million years* Thanks for sharing Cait and, as always, fabulous discussion! ♥
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Yes, omg YES. I particularly hate it when the end books feel so so completely different from the beginning. It’s like…is this a new writer??? C’mon, what is going ON??! *cue confused flails*
Now that I’ve let the hype from QoS die down for myself anyway, I’m more sad about what the author did to Chaol’s character. Y U SO MAD bro? It’s definitely a pet peeve when they change covers and shock horror, the SIZE of the book! Noooo!
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I never actually thought there was anything bad about Chaol. XDDD SO YEAH. heh. But there are just too many things about QoS that really riled me. *sigh* AND OMG YES TO THE SIZE CHANGES TOO. My The Mortal Instruments series is horrendous with half in one size and half the other. *wails*
I just love this. It’s so true! While I really did love the Harry Potter series, I felt that the books began to slip into some of these, too — like each one getting consistently longer and a pretty similar plot sequence repeating itself. But of course, Harry will always save the day in the end! Anyways, great post 🙂
Ciera @ The Write Things
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I haven’t finished the HP series yet (Shhhh I KNOW I’M BAD> XDXD) but I did notice that in the books I read. Like it’s predictable, almost? You know the main character will pull through and be awesome and the bad guy will get punched. Maybe I’m just too picky?!? But I like surprises.
I think out of all of these the last one irritates me the most. Daniel X for instance. First book he was awesome, next book he was stupid.
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It gets me soooo much too. To be honest, it’s spoiled whole SERIES for me. *gnashes teeth and wails*
OKAY FIRST OF ALL YESSSSS.
1) WHEN NO ONE DIES IT BOTHERS ME BECAUSE REALISTICALLY, *SOMEONE’S GONNA*. (which is another reason why the last Heroes of Olympus book did NOT DO IT FOR ME. Ugh)
2.) NEW NARRATING CHARACTERS ARE SO ANNOYING. LIKE, “leave. I hate you. You are not the person I’m reading this book for. GO AWAY.”
6. ) I get so bored when it’s the same story over again. like can you not? *moriarty voice* Boooorrring!
7.) That drives me so nuts I can’t even deal with it. PLEASE USE YOUR IMAGINATION.
8.) THIS one depends on the book and how it’s handled. Sometimes I’m like “man up and frikken deal” or or or I’m like, “OH BABY IT’S OKAY IT’S OKAY! *cries and holds character forever*
9.) Well duh.
10.) YES YES YES OMG. Megan Walen Turner does the MOST EPIC FREAKING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD. okay
MMMMM. Okay that’s all I can think of. OH OH WAIT. I also can’t stand it when a character does something SO OUT OF CHARACTER you’re like what. What? WHAT? okay now I’m done. Mkay. Bai
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YES EXACTLY! Someone has to die!!! And not just, like, the butler or whatnot. Someone important. And I confess, I was a bit disappointed with HoO for that. I mean, i was RELIEVED?!?!? LEO MA BABY. But still. Seriously no one even ended up with a scratch, basically. Riordan is a bit too soft on his characters.
YES OMG YES TO THE NEW NARRATING CHARACTERS. *salts them and burns them with fire*
And true true *nods* and breakdown scenes are needed. I just hate it when the plot can’t really do anything because the character can’t function anymore. I feel like Tris basically spent the whole of Insurgent in just a daze and it kind of got boring?!? JUST A LITTLE.
And the out of character thing too, yes. That feels like just bad writing, right!?
Oh I hate when the titles don’t match! I prefer to know by the title a book belongs in a series I’m reading. I also don’t like when they change the covers. Like with Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian”s Burn for Burn series. I loved the dreamy look to the first two books, then the third book was never released with that kind of cover. It was released with the new ones which I don’t like nearly as much. So, now I own the first two, and not the third one because I haven’t convinced myself to buy it yet. :-/
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ERK YES. I glare frequently at the Fire & Flood series by Victoria Scott! I LOVED the original covers, but now they’ve changed them so I’ll never have a matching set. *wails* PUBLISHERS WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO US. WHAT HAVE WE EVER DONE TO YOU.
Yes, yes, so much yes!! The one that REALLY gets me is when when a character completely changes to fill a plot point. Like, in the Shatter Me series (which I can’t remember if you’ve read), some of the main characters change so much they are completely different characters at the end…just to move the plot along.
The other pet peeve I have is when the novellas actually change major plot points in the main series. I don’t think novellas should be canon. I think they should only be used to fill in back stories, but I don’t think a 60 pages should completely change my viewpoint on a certain character. (Again, I’m looking at you Shatter Me!)
I have read the Shatter Me series!! I kind of don’t remember it so well? I DID think Adam just had like a personality flip-switch. I felt he was so horrible in the last book, which wasn’t how he was introduced at all?!?! Same with Warner. And, well, YES, now that I think about it…basically everyone. heh.
Omg, I’ve never read a novella that did that, but YES. That doesn’t seem right. I, personally, think novellas should be additions. If you NEED the novella to make the series make sense then…nooooope. Problems.
Yeah, I agree with all you said, but I think the most important ones for me are the characters that seem like they got a brain transplant, and I’m not even sure if I’m actually reading the same series anymore. That’s not good! Like you, I do need character development, but not a complete personality change.
And also, if books in a series are really only released once per year, the really bad cliff-hangers kill me – and I’ve sometimes stopped reading series because I didn’t want another cliff-hanger in the next book, to keep me wondering, and so it was easier to just not continue that journey.
Great post, Cait 🙂 Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend 🙂
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Oh, I forgot to say: If a beloved character dies a horrible death, everybody mourns and then slowly start to come back to the land of the living. Only to have that beloved DEAD character come back to life in a later book. It was ALL for NOTHING!!!
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews recently posted…Review: A Madness So Discreet – Mindy McGinnis
YES!! And I read a lot of books where I feel like the character’s totally get a personality transplant and it’s just…jarring? And off-putting? I get that author’s writings grow with the book and stuff, but you have to stay true to the character’s original personality!! I THINK ANYWAY. HEHE. XD
Sometimes it’s just easier to read series when all the books are out, right?!?
Also characters who are only mostly dead, STILL feel like writerly cheating, I totally agree. *nods*
I hate it when I have to wait *forever* for the next book in the sequel. I want it NOW! 😉
ME TOOOO. Ohhhhh the PAIN of being a bookworm. *collapses in agony*
Seriously. all of these!!
I’m so sad that the last book of The Winner’s trilogy doesn’t make, it should totally be like The Winner’s Crown (instead of Kiss), since the others are The Winner’s Curse and The Winner’s Crime.
The cliff hangers are definitely killing me.. And arg yes, #10 – Queen of Shadows is kind of upsetting me /sigh.
Awesome list, Cait!
OMG YES THAT ONE TOO!!! Like it sounds right? But it doesn’t LOOK right. Crown would’ve been perfect. *sniffles* Or even The Winner’s Cake for goodness sakes. They messed this up big time.
I GRANT YOU MY LIFE’S WORTH OF AGREEMENTS. I agree with it all. AND, YES, CRYING IN BOOKS ANNOYS ME SO MUCH. I get that the love of your life just got decapitated in front of you, I sympathize, I do–but get up and fight or else you’ll end up the same way! STOP CRYING AT LIFE THREATENING MOMENTS. Idiots. Ahem. I also hate when NO ONE DIES. THIS IS A WAR OR SOMETHING AND YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT NOT ONE PERSON WAS STABBED OR POISONED OR ANYTHING? It is just so unrealistic. “Rainbow Stabbing” is marvelous. Sounds like a super hero. Or villain. Or both, you never do know. But…seriously is Gideon the one who was with (TID SPOILER) Sophie or was Gabriel the one with her? I don’t know which one is which either. The shame.
YES EXACTLY. I like it when books get emotional. I DO. But I don’t like it when the plot faceplants while people have a meltdown and nothing gets down. Ugh.
BUT YES, RIGHT!??!? People die! *channels inner Moriarty* THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE DO. *ahem* I think it’s unfair when authors lop off minor characters but leave the main ones totally unscathed. Especially in long series.
I DON’T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GIDEON AND GABRIEL AT ALL. Not even a bit.
ohmygod these struggles are horrifically and hilariously true. i think a cover change in the middle of the series is THE ABSOLUTE WORST. we readers should have a petition against that because i cannot stand those. also, do you realize struggle #2 and #3 both apply to the lunar chronicle series? i think that was one of the few series the made the exception 😉 more fairytale characters calls for a longer installment! but i heard winter – the book, not the season – is going to be insanely long and i don’t know how to feel about that. yay for action but WHY IS IT SO LONG UGH. i want to be able to SAY i’ve read a lot of books thia year, but i can’t when series keep getting longer and making them 500,000,000 pages. *sighs in resign* I LOVE THIS DISCUSSION POST!! although it did make me cringe and glare at a few series i had in mind…
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YES. START THE PETITION, ALEXANDRA. I WILL SIGN. I WILL SIGN A MILLION TIMES. I’m sure publishers just do it to hear us weep.
Ah but yes I think the Lunar Chronicles nearly always make the exception. XDD Zomg but yes, Winter is apparently 800 pages?!?! I’M NOT SURE IF I’M GOING TO BE OKAY. On one hand, yay for Lunar! But on the other, I’ve never read an 800 page book where I thought everything was strictly necessary and no fluff. But maaaybe I’m picky?! SO WE SHAL SEE. hehe.
I HATE it when they change the darn covers! This week, I saw the chance to grab the Divergent trilogy in an Amazon sale and the covers were very pretty! BUT when I clicked on book 2 to add it to basket, it had the dratted film link cover WHICH I DON’T LIKE! Why are the characters on the cover doing dumb somersaults anyway??? So I had to just buy 1 and 3 and hope that I can find the matching cover somewhere else which is NOT cool!
I very very rarely EVER like film covers. >_< Although the ones for If I Stay and the Maze Runner are kinda awesome. BUT OMG THE PAIN OF THIS IS REAL. I bought a book thinking it'd be the same height as previous ones in that series...was it? NOOOO. *cries*
I love series, but they also do a lot of things that irritate me. I agree with #1. I mean, if you are going into all of these epic battles, hunting bad guys, and all kinds of dangerous stuff for like 6 books, then one of the main characters is definitely going to die. No one is that lucky, either real or fictional. Avoiding killing off a main character is kind of a cowardly thing. I know that it is hard to pull off without inciting a riot, but sometimes it just needs to be done.
I have a little bit of a different view on #2. I really do not like it when the narration/POV of a series changes from book to book, especially if a love interest suddenly has a POV in like that last book. This happened with the Lux series (which I DNFed) and Allegiant. I really prefer when the love interest’s thoughts remain a mystery. When I read a series, I have a very specific view of a character, and giving me their POV would most likely ruin that carefully constructed mental image of the character.
Another thing that I do not like about series, is when there is an entire book devoted to relationship angst. The common culprit with this is the second book in a trilogy. Like with Hinged by A.G. Howard and Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Most of the plot was centered around the couple’s problems and erased the momentum of the first book’s action.
Well, that turned into more of a rant than I wanted it to. But I assure you that series have a very special place in my heart and they always will.
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YES EXACTLY. It’s not realistic or feasible and it just comes off as the author coating their babies in bubble wrap. And I usually end up feeling uninvested because everything is so SAFE, you know?!?? I do understand not killing the MAIN character, though, because usually they’re the backbone of the story and it becomes pointless if they fight to survive for, like, 6 books and then die. You know??? But I do like authors who do it because it’s surprising and heart smashing.
Yep, I agree with the love-interest POV too. xD I DON’T WANT TO KNOW. I think I would’ve cried if Suzanne Collins fell to that. I’m soooo glad she didn’t. XD
AGH YES. I was actually specifically thinking of Insurgent when I wrote that point. XDXD I liked that book! I did! But….I didn’t think it actually advanced the plot because Tris spent so much time utterly devastated (as s he should, I mean! Her parents just died, c’mon!) buuuuut, from a reading perspective it wasn’t that interesting after a while. >_>
BUT SAME. I love series. <3 I just have some nitpicky things to say too, hehe.
I am so with you on Cover changes, and titles not matching. They should be same so my OCD can handle having them next to each other on the shelf. Also, those titles need to stay with the theme. Also, out of all the damn names why do they have to be so similar. I hate this sh*t so much.
I like you Cait, but I have to disagree with some of those points you mentioned.
You are usually so brilliant, BUT …
I love characters to change, like big time change. People change all the time, especially in those YA years, so why not with a long series? I feel like Hunger Games was not like the same plot x3 books. Also, I like when books get bigger, the plot is thickening so we need more words to talk about it.
Please know, I say this with so much love!
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HAHA, I SHALL LET YOU DISAGREE, BECAUSE I’M A BENEVOLENT OVERLORD. *nods regally* And, don’t get me wrong, I love The Hunger Games. It got me into reading YA and it totally changed my life (omg I’m waxing cliche here) hehe. But I just do definitely remember my initial thoughts while reading Catching Fire were “but we did this”. I wasn’t even a book blogger back then. o.O BUT YEAH. And I’m glad you like BIG character changes! 😀 I like them to change more gradually and still stay true to their original self. Buuuut. I DO SEE WHAT YOU MEAN.
“The Hunger Games- accidentally live”- Oh, my goodness! XD That is so true!
Yes so much to when nobody dies! That might sound heartless. But over a long series, it’s going to happen, especially if it’s fantasy, dystopian, or anything with war. I’m sorry, characters, but the odds are not in your favor. Just face it.
I really don’t mind new narrators. I usually love it. . . unless they are irksome then I’m like, “Why did you put me in their head?! They are loathsome beings!” I tend to introduce new POVs in writing actually because. . . I do what I want. (Not always a good thing there.) But I can’t stand it when the author takes away a POV who I did like or who was interest, or you know, VITAL TO THE PLOT! Especially if they get replaced with someone boring.
When characters’ names are similar it’s sooo confusing. Especially in fantasy. I mean, come on. It’s fantasy, you can make up names. Name them whatever you want. I’d rather an author grab a bunch of letters, mash them together, and we’ll all call them aasdlkjfslj in our heads. So why is there a lack of variety? DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN I GET SAURON AND SAURMAN MIXED UP?! In this one book I was writing I had a Sandy, a Seth, and a Sam. Halfway through the draft, I started giving them squinty looks because this was not going to work out. Someone’s name had to go. Sandy isn’t a fantasy-ish name. But she’s the main character and she was Sandy before the series existed. I think it would traumatize me as a writer to try to rename her and then remember the new name. I happen to like Seth as Seth. So that left Sam. Sorry Sam, name change for you. (It didn’t fit him anyhow.)
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Like 99% of the cast in The Hunger Games DIDN’T EVEN WANT TO LIVE. OMG. THOSE POOR TRAUMATISED BABIES. XDXD
And, pfft, you can’t sound heartless after I just declared they needed to all die. HAHA. *ahem* But yes. It needs to happen, or else the book gets dull and the reader just snoozes in too much security. PARTICULARLY in fantasy. I get that for contemporaries it’s not always needed.
YES and OMG YES to the taking-away-interesting-POV-character-and-adding-someone-boring. Meeee so much while reading Game of Thrones, tbh. o_o I’ll have whole BOOKS without my favourite babies and spend hoooours in the most annoying creatures ever to roam GRRM’s fantasy worlds. *heavy sigh*
YES I GET SAURON AND SAURMAN MIXED UP TOO AND THAT’S A REALLY BIG ONE AND C’MON TOLKIEN, WHAT A FAIL. I try to never even have the main characters have the same first letter. Just to keep minimal confusion. XD
OH MY GOSH CAIT YOU JUST READ MY MIND HOWWWWWW.
This post is perfect, especially the last one about character’s not changing or transforming until they are completely unrecognisable, like WHY? HUMANS DO NOT DO THIS WE ARE NOT BUTTERFLIES.
If we were I would fly to college.
But yesss, character arcs are such a vital part of a series, and their development needs to be significant from book to book but still gradual. 😛
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BECAUSE WE ARE JUST MIND TWINS ON THIS MATTER, SAFAH. IT’S JUST TRUE, YES. Bahhhh, we are not butterflies — zomg, yes yesssss. It annoys me an unresaonable amount. I mean, if I start a book, I want to end it with the SAME sort of characters, you know? They need to grow and change. But KEEP THE BUTTERFLYING TO A MINIMUM YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
ALL OF THIS YES. But especially TITLES THAT DON’T MATCH!! That drives me secretly crazy. The series that does this that always makes me cringe is The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver (excellent series, btw, highly recommend). The books in order are: Wolf Brother, Spirit Walker, Soul Eater, Outcast, Oath Breaker, and Ghost Hunter. Like, WTF — why the heck is OUTCAST in there???!!!! GAH. *calms down, but only just*
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Agh, that group of titles is MESSED UP. It just totally is. o.O I agree…that would TOTALLY throw me. D: I was a bit put out with Lois Lowry’s The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, Son. I mean. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?
I kinda do and kinda don’t agree with you on characters changing- I mean (and this is all to do with Celaena to Aelin, I note), I guess it makes sense to me, in that series, that she would be a different person from one name to the other, Because Celaena was a persona, an act, for the most part, and she made herself someone she wasn’t. I’m sad because I did love THAT person, and Aelin is new territory for me, but at the same time I think it’s right. Probably would have made more sense if it was happening this much in HoF, though, and not just QoS, so I can understand why it’s frustrating you and some other reviewers. There wasn’t much build up to what she became at all.
I almost gave up, and sort of did, on A series of Unfortunate Events because of their plot arc similarities. I mean, they had awesome dialouge and were amusing as heck, but it was the same thing each time in each of the first… 5 books, and I gave up. But the audio books changed everything, mostly because of Tim Curry’s reading skills (of which he has many), and I got through all of them and have a lifelong love for those books of great art and majesty.
Okay, the thing that frustrates me about Morning Star is not that it’s a colour, but the sequence Rising, Son (I’ll take it as sun) and then… Star? That does. not. go. Romi is unhappy with that.
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Oh, this is such a good topic. I’m all for character growth, but sometimes it’s obvious that the character changes in strange ways just to serve a plot development and that annoys me to no end. New narrating characters = NO. More pet peeves: filler books that don’t drive the series plot forward, but just rehash old stuff; new characters I don’t like, no new characters…
It probably sounds like I’m contradicting myself, but like you, I want just enough change: not so much change that I don’t even recognize what I’m reading, but not so little change that I feel like I’m reading the same book over and over. That’s not so much to ask, is it??
Jen @ YA Romantics
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Oh it doesn’t sound like your contradicting yourself!! I COMPLETELY CONCUR. I think there should be balance?!?! And I totally am a big fan of new narrating characters when it works for the plot and makes sense. And filler books = erghhhhh.
I seriously have to get better at this series thing as well. I am definitely going to need to take all the leaves from your book. AHAHA now you are leafless!
Besides the point though…
I think the thing that bothers me most has to be when there is no one dying. I mean, it’s too unrealistic! However, the Gone series has taught me that sometimes people you love will die! It was completely evull of Grant but I like how he was merciless. Half the suspense was basically waiting to see who would die next and praying it wouldn’t be a main character you liked because main characters were vulnerable still!
DD: Keep titles and covers matching pls.
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NO DON’T LEAVE ME LEAFLESS. WHAT WILL I DO IF I AM LEAFLESS. *takes leaves back* BUT STILL. XD I totally am still emotionally scarred from the Gone series. Boo. How dare Grant destroy my emotions like that?!?!? Especially Light. OMG MY DARLINGEST BABY DIED IN LIGHT. *wails for 90 years*
YES TO ALL OF THESE!!
There’s one series I love (Let The Sky Fall), and the cover for the final book DOESN’T MATCH the first two, and they’re doing a complete redesign!
Just leave me here to cry. My only consolation is that the new covers are just So. Flipping. AWESOME!!
But I already own the first two…IN HARDCOVER!
*wails*
And YES! The lack of Titles matching REALLY irritates me.
What also irritates me is when the books AREN’T part of the same series, but they’re by the same author and have the matching title thing going on…even matching covers. Like, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW they aren’t connected? It’s so confusing.
AND SO MUCH YES TO THE NO CHARACTER’S DYING!!
I once read a series, and the ENTIRE third (final) book, they were preparing for this massive war. There were visions from the psychics that showed every single character dying and they were all really scared…
You know who died? The creepy weird guy that nobody liked. THAT WAS IT!!
And then, at the end, the main character was Oh So Sad that they’d lost so many people in the battle, and it was just So Awful…but we never learnt any of their names, because no-one significant actually died!
(three years later, and I am still not over that).
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It’s just SO ANNOYING, because it means if you want a matching series you have to rebuy the lot. And then what do you do with the old ones?!?! And who really has the money to just buy series every time they redesign. D: Publishers are out for BLOOD AND MONEY I tell you.
Omg, yes that too!! Like Jennifer E Smith’s books always have similar titles and I thought they were all in one series. o.O
And I get soooo annoye dand frustrated when the author like coddles their favourite characters. I mean I don’t WANT my favourites to die. But balance?!?!? Can I ask for that?!? I think readers need to be scared. xD I don’t like going into a finale kind of all laid-back and calm because I know the author won’t kill anyone. *sigh* (I sound so bloodthirsty. XD I PROMISE I’M REALLY NOT.)
My biggest pet peeve is the waiting for a sequel. Ahhh, I HATE THAT!!! And yeah, throwing in a brand new narrator irks me so much. Actually, having too many narrators is my big pet peeve. I don’t necessarily need to know what every single character is thinking, you know?
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It huuuuurts. THE PAIN IS SO INTENSE. OMG. It’s been nice finishing up some older series this year because cliffhangers aren’t even painful if you have the next book right on hand. XD And yes. Omg, YES. I don’t like knowing what everyone is thinking, particularly if they aren’t thinking anything wildly different from everyone else. -_- It just feels like deja vu.
I have a love hate relationship with character deaths. They are traumatising, painful, yet I love the impact the loss of a character makes in other characters and the readers. It’s amazing!
( Unless it’s the kind of death where characters die and come back to life as if it’s routine for them. *cough* Vampire Diaries *cough*
Ahem, I actually love cliffhangers! They are horrible yet terrific! One of my favourites cliffies ever would be Crown of Midnight. That book damaged me, and everything turned chaotic after that!!!
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YES. EXACTLY!! Like I honestly bawl when my favourites die and then rail and rant and, ya know, eat a lot of chocolate. But it makes me more alert as a reader. I’m not sitting there thinking the author’s going to coddle everyone and it’ll all be rainbows at the end. It makes me more invested. XD
CROWN OF MIDNIGHT RUINED ME FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR I NEARLY CRIED MY BRAIN OUT. XDXD But I agree. It was rather marvellous writing. 😉
I HAVEN’T BEEN ON YOUR BLOG IN LIKE, A WEEK. I’m a horrible pineapple, aren’t I? But at least I have quite a few posts of yours to read now and that makes me happy! ;D
YES to all of these! It’s quite hilarious how we complain when characters are killed off but then when they’re not we’re like WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? Yes, we moan about the pain but we actually love it, gosh.
And ugh, it frustrates me when the covers don’t match. I’m quite OCD about my covers matching and when they don’t (especially if there’s a COMPLETE cover redesign) it just totally freaks me out. Like, can you not? And yesss, it annoys me too when the plots are basically the same. Like I LOVE the Alex Rider series, but after 9 books it felt a bit repetitive the whole Alex swearing off missions, he spots trouble and gets sucked back in, there’s loads of evil guys, he’s in an near death situation (practically every single part in every single book) yet he comes out of it alive which I’m glad about but gosh, it’s impossible to have that much luck. In the last book the sequence finally broke and it tore my heart out but it was good to see some change even though I cried ugly tears for a couple of days.
Oh my gosh, I love cliffhangers but I hate them too. WHY MUST BOOKS BE SO CRUEL TO US?! And yes, when characters have similar names I just give up because it confuses me SO MUCH. My tiny brain can’t handle that.
Anyway, LOVE THIS POST, CAIT!
OMG YOU ARE NOT A HORRIBLE PINEAPPLE, OF COURSE NOT, KYRA. YOU ARE STILL A NICE PINEAPPLE. XD
Ahh, but yes. I KNOW. Gah. It’s like “don’t kill them” and then the author doesn’t and we’re like “but that was lame, kill them”. Basically we readers are very hard to please. 😉 Buuuut, I think it’s good to be shaken up a bit?!? Like not to be too comfortable as a reader! SO WE DO LOVE THE PAIN WE ARE CRAZY THINGS.
And yes, absolutely, to the non-matching covers. I get really rather furious about it because I don’t buy books all that often and then when I fall in love with a series and DO buy it and then they start changing them…I MEAN, PLEASE NO?!?! WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO, PUBLISHERS, KILL ME?!?
HOW ARE YOU IN MY HEAD!? All of these. ALL of them. (Many of them Queen of Shadows, which makes me sad.) Like, why are we getting Aedion’s POV now? Does it add anything new? Um, no. No it does not.
And if it’s a murdery book and no one dies in six books, I call bullshit. SOMEONE should get hit by a stray arrow at some point.
I actually think the formula in Series of Unfortunate Events was part of the charm, because it was SO obviously ridiculous that it functioned like an inside joke. But that’s me.
MATCHING TITLES. PLEASE. I actually don’t mind if they’re ALL totally different (like Red Queen and Glass Sword) because I think titles that are TOO matchy (City of Bones, City of Ash, etc.) are annoying. Narnia’s titles are a good example of a series of very different titles that work. But either go ALL different or ALL matched. Shiver, Linger, and FOREVER!? FOREVER IS NOT A VERB!
C.J.
Sarcasm & Lemons
CJ @ Sarcasm&Lemons recently posted…Book Blurb Breakdown: Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith
WE ARE JUST CLEARLY BRAIN TWINS OR SOMETHING, CJ. THAT’S JUST WHAT IT MUST BE. Ahahh ha, ahem, and maybe this post was a secret Queen of Shadows rant?!? Since it filled so many of my pet peeves. I mean, why do we get Aedion, Rowan AND Ailen?!? They’re all in basically the same side of the story. I like multiple narrators if they’re spread out so we get to see MORE, not just seeing what different people think about one situation. Booooring. (I also don’t like Aedion?? Idek know why, but I DON’T. D:)
And it’s true, I think the ASoUE books wouldn’t be right without that sort of rhythm and I can’t even argue over them because I LOVE THAT SERIES SO SO MUCH. <3 But when I was small I was a bit frustrated that I could so easily predict everything. Grr.
Ha I did find myself thinking about QoS on like every point. I mean, still love Sarah, but I have SO MANY FRUSTRATIONS with how that book went. (That’s cause Aedion is a weirdly possessive crankypants with no personality). YES. Manon: useful. Dorian: eh, sure, whatever. Chaol: useful. Rowan: yeah, we get it, Aelin is hot.
I never minded the predictability because I was so freaking obsessed with those books. I really want to reread them noooooow.
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Oh, these are all too true. ALL TOO TRUE I TELL YOU. I mean, I am not as passionate about all of them, but I would like to commentate on your rightness because I guess that’s just what I do.
1. Nobody Dies—ugh, right? I mean, you hate that they die but it SUCKS that they don’t.
2. This doesn’t actually bother me sooooo much because new POVs are introduced in series I really enjoy such as The Lunar Chronicles or the Unwind Dystology and while it was frustrating for me at first I feel like neither series would have the same impact without that seriously broadened perspective provided with each new POV. So like, it can be annoying sometimes but when it’s done well it is awesome.
5. “When the covers don’t match.” “When the covers don’t match.” “When the covers don’t match.” OKAY YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT? THE FIRST BOOK OF MY FAVORITE SERIES CAME OUT IN LIKE 2008 RIGHT? RIGHT. SO THAT’S LIKE SEVEN YEARS-ISH. AND IN THE SEVEN YEARS THAT THIS BOOK HAS EXISTED, BETWEEN ME BUYING BOOKS FROM USA AND UK ROUTES, I HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT SETS OF COVERS SPANNING NINE BOOKS. THEY DON’T MATCH. AND IT’S NOT FAIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
6. Thank you for calling out Rick Riordan. I needed that.
Those are my biggies.
As for things that bother me personally about series? Hmm… I think I hate when people say that “the second book is better” because like, I get it, sequels are often better because you’re more rooted in the story world and the author has more practice. But I don’t like when people justify a first book’s suckiness with the following books’ goodness. Like, be good from the beginning, okay?
That was really long for me. I will go now.
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AW, AREN’T YOU MARVELLOUS. XD
I think deaths need to happen, because they make us more invested as readers, right!??! Like we don’t know if the author will let them live or die so MORE TENSION AND STUFF. HUZZAH. I get annoyed when I’m reading a finale and am like 100% confident no one important will even get a wound. Grr.
I FEEL YOUR PAIN WITH THE NON-MATCHING COVERS, I TRULY DO. THAT IS ME EXACTLY. I have that happening with my Rangers Apprentice series too. :'(
Cait as always fantastic post, you had me laughing out loud…these are all so RIGHT!
My main pet peeve has to be the cover thing, I can’t stand that! However, as you say, it’s probably a publisher thing so they can make more cash, and they totally have us right because us book lovers just can’t help ourselves. Or maybe because we are all Type A LOL but seriously why would you change the damn size of a book???? What is your reason or rhyme?
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Awwwk, thanks, Angelica!! 😀 THIS MAKES ME PLEASED. I kind of get that they like to revamp stuff, but gah, money doesn’t grow on treees, right?!?! And some of us don’t have the spare cash just to whip out and buy full NEW series just so they can match. -_- Just have the covers come out as new ones AND old. THAT WOULD SOLVE EVERYTHING. And, zomg, the size changes are muuuurder. Unmatching covers are bad enough, but when the books don’t even fit together on the shelf?! LET ME CRY UGLY TEARS.
The new character thing drives me crazy for the exact same reason. I really like the Heir Chronicles series by Cinda Williams Chima but every book is a new character pov and the old characters are there but really on the sidelines. You spent a whole book getting me interested in these characters… I want more of THEM!
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