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June 13, 2023

Highly Specific Reasons For Not Continuing A Book Series

opern book, three book stack and cup of tea

I'm not saying these are good reasons but as a reader, I have a right to quit a series for whatever reason however good or bad or just plain unreasonable. Here are some of my reasons for not continuing a book series:

01 - Knowing the villain is going to be resurrected — I was surprised by the first resurrection, than was annoyed by the second resurrection so a third resurrection just makes me so damm annoyed so I decided I can't read the series anymore. What was the point of killing off a villain if you're just going to bring them back each and every time?

02 - Main character (and story structure) remains exactly the same — For most mysteries where we get almost nothing about the main character (usually the amateur sleuth or the detective), I wouldn't expect any type of change to them but we get told in great details about the main character's life and their aspirations so it's reasonable to expect some change, right? But seven books in and there's no change. So book series are getting longer but I honestly don't want to read 20 books for a change.

03 - Main character is extremely condescending to the other main character — So maybe this is a bit odd but I don't know. I just think if two people are equal partners and friends, then one of them shouldn't be so condescending to the other even if the other chose to accept being treated badly. I wouldn't call it bullying but these are children characters which I thought made it worst. If the second character is a sidekick, maybe it might be easier to accept but then again, I don't believe friends should treat each other like crap even if one of them is superior than the other.

04 - Disturbing themes/violence against women
— I'm too much of a prude so often I find dark themes far too disturbing than most people. What I didn't like for one particular series was there was rather a lot of disturbing ideas and most of them are against women. Somehow, it's more disturbing to me probably because I'm a female but generally, I'm sure a lot of people would be disturbed too.
 
05 - Not what was expected — The author made a note about making a story 'as close to reality as possible' and I guess I have a different expectation from that. Based on the first two books, the 'as close to reality as possible' meant the equipments being used, daily life stuff, location details, etc. are all realistic but apparently, not for the main character. For a character who is a normal human with no special powers, no special healing abilities, no special mental strength (this one, I might accept as some people are mentally stronger than others), just survived almost being killed several times and ended up with some body aches and a headache and returned to work the next day - is that reality? So yes, this is fiction but promising to make a story as close to reality as possible should also mean the characters and not just the settings and background details, right?
    I guess I was more annoyed by this note since it's at the beginning of the books. If they had left it out, it would be perfectly fine but by making this note, the author is making a promise. If they had said 'as close to reality as possible but not for the characters', then maybe I would accept this without any annoyance. This could possibly be a dumb reason not to continue a series but I don't care.

06 - Added romance
— So this might also be a dumb reason not to continue a series but when I read a series and there was no suggestion of a romance, I just kind of like it to stay that way. But I was more annoyed by who was chosen for the main character to have the romance with. It's kind of terrible how book blurbs give so much away that sometimes reading them makes me not want to read a book.

07 - Couldn't stand the main character
— If I'm reading a book and I keep wishing for the main character's demise, then it's a sign I shouldn't bother continuing the series. Other people can read a book and didn't have to care about the main character but for me, I have to care somehow or else it's meaningless to read it.

08 - Break up a couple just so the main character can start anew in a different location — I don't get this but maybe because I like the couple. The excuse was so the main character can grow on their own which makes sense but at the same time, I can't help but think, they dump the romantic partner for a pretty lame reason because who says a person can't grow while in a relationship? (As evident by the 5 books.) It would have been better to kill the romantic partner which would probably be a good idea for that particular series and then they can find the killer together and then end that relationship but no, they want the boring, lame breakup which I'll never accept.

09 - Fake out — What I meant is when the book blurb (and even the story itself) suggested it will give answers but then it turned out it was a fake out! Maybe they shouldn't have bother going with this particular storyline and made the readers thought they would get answers and instead got the door slammed in our faces. It's the third book so I think it's reasonable to expect answers but the heck with it. I won't even care I didn't get the answers, I'm just annoyed by the way the book misled me.

10 - Didn't like the first book — To me, the first book sets the standard for the other books in the series so I most likely will not like the other books if I didn't like the first one. When people say it gets better in the second or even the third book, I have to wonder, why didn't it get better in the first book? Usually, the first book is the best one and the second or third is the lousy one so how could that got reversed? I think finishing the first book is giving the series a chance. Any more than that, means a longer commitment and who has the patience to read two or three crappy books to get to the good one?

What stops you from continuing a book series?

8 comments:

  1. Accepting violence (mental or physical) is a big one. Particularly but not exclusively to women.
    Discovering the author is running two or more series concurrently.
    If I don't like the first I am unlikely to pick up the second.
    Bondage or SM are big turn offs for me.

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    1. Elephant's Child: I don't know about authors running two or more series concurrently - I haven't quite encountered this. I have noticed some authors are writing a lot of series at the same time or rather they are releasing them.

      No bondage or SM for me either.

      Thank you for coming by. Have a lovely day.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Christine: What's good? Thank you for coming by. Have a lovely day.

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  3. I agree in all your points. Only number 1. I think I never met - apart from Sherlock Holmes' arc rival Professor Moriarty - and this happened only once - with an OK explanation.
    What really spoke to me was the one abot missing development. As a child I read a series (in Danish) about a girl amateur sleuth, really childish, tiny day to day mysteries and real life problems (but not like modern childrens' books - idealistic and idyllic-like), like stolen pocket money, poachers, poverty, babies, not being allowed this and that, cheating at exams ... but well written and "understanding". The girl and her friends / schoolmates grew up over the span of the series, starting with their in shooldays, then sitting exams and graduating basic school (1-4 form) and starting middle school (4-7 form - old times in Denmark was like this). Then on to confirmation, and advanced school (8-10 form) in the nearest bigger town. Now the classmate came home for different holidays, life and sleuthing still going on - even to old people in he series dying (*sniff*) ... Then the last couple of books, written by another writer, they were just set in "generic holidays". No development, no fun.
    Sorry for rambling, you just made me think of my old frustration.

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    Replies
    1. Charlotte: I think one return from the dead is okay, two I guess is fine but three is a bit excessive.

      I suppose changing the writer, they changed ideas so that's why it was no fun but yes, if there is no development, then it would be dull.

      No need to apologize. Rambling now and then is good.

      Thank you for coming by. Have a lovely day.

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  4. Series are funny. They can be so good for continuing the exploits of a fave character, but you're right. A lot of these things just kill it. I don't like anything too dark. It's funny to read crime or thriller but I don't want gruesome. I had to laugh at your comment too about having to wait two or three books for it to get good. who has time for that??

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    Replies
    1. Greg: Some book series it seems, you have to read a few books to get to the good ones which is rather annoying, I guess some people have the time and patience for me but not all of us.

      I don't like things to get too dark or too gruesome either. I have seen some things that are rather light at the start and then it became a bit too dark which I didn't like. I think they should stay at the same level, like if it started out light, it should stay light.

      Thank you for coming by. Have a lovely day.

      Delete

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