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This list is unusually amenable to categories, so here goes.
Middle-grade boy-centric books. The lot of these are truly fantastic. I mean that. They're just not apparently designed to captivate the emotions of a certain obsessively feminine girl.
1. The Prydain books by Lloyd Alexander
2. The Redwall books by Brian Jacques
3. The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
Grown-up boy-centric humor books. Again, great books. I won't challenge that. It's just that humor gets old in fiction if not supported by a lot of drama focused on lovable characters.
4. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy's sequels by Douglas Adams
5. The Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett
Series with superb first books that messed with my emotions badly enough that I haven't thus far dared pick up the sequels. That sums it up, I think.
6. The Giver books by Lois Lowry
7. The Across the Universe books by Beth Revis
8. The Dark Divine trilogy by Bree Despain
The last two belong in their own classes:
9. The Time Quintet by Madeleine L'Engle. I read and loved the first three, but nothing has yet convinced me that I really want to read about Sandy and Dennys.
10. The Bean books by Orson Scott Card. But I will finish these, oh yes. I loved the first two madly.
Which series have you left—so far, at least—unfinished?
Oh you've got some great ones listed here. Did you know that "A Wrinkle in Time" is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its publication? I hope you get to finish all of these great series. I do enjoy a good one. kaye—the road goes ever ever on
ReplyDeleteI did know that--A Wrinkle in Time has always been a favorite of mine. And thanks!
DeleteI forgot to put Hitch Hiker's Guide on my list to finish as well! I've read the first three I think. And I've read Many Waters (the fourth in the Time series, and it was sooooo good! I want to read the fifth one ASAP!
ReplyDeleteOoh, a vote for Many Waters. Hmm. Good to know!
DeleteNever finished The Time Quintet, and I never really got into A Wrinkle in Time anyway.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it can be said I never finished The Hitchhiker's Guide series, but then I always only counted the first three books as being the necessary part of the series.
Haven't finished The Wheel of Time series.
I'm sure there's lots of other series I could think of if I put my mind to it.
The first Hitchhiker book certainly ended in an odd place. I figure I get most of the pop culture references now from having read the first one. :) But I'll keep the matter of the first three books in mind if I'm suddenly hit with a desire for the sequels. ;)
DeleteMany Waters with Sandy and Dennys was better than I expected it to be when I got up to it in the series. If it helps, consider that their characters grow and change (for the better) in that volume. Good stuff. And, it is in essence a Sci Fi (due to time travel) retelling of the Great Flood, which in and of itself is pretty awesome (I love Noah's Ark and the flood from the OT).
ReplyDeleteYou won't be disappointed when you eventually return to the series that begins with The Giver (the fourth and final volume is coming out later this year!), as well as the Bean books. Good, good stuff all around.
Two series I began and have yet to return to and finish, though someday I want to, is the Inheritance Cycle (I've read through Brisingr), and the Inkheart series (I've read through Inkspell--the second one).
You'll have to let me know how you like the rest of the Inheritance Cycle. I made it through Eragon, but never got any further.
DeleteAlso, I LOVE the Inkheart books--all three of them. Inkdeath is a strange piece, full of disjointed head hopping and focused much more on Mo than Meggie (though I loved Mo and was OK with that). But I definitely thought it was worth reading, and stayed up most of a night to get through it.
And I'm SO excited about the rest of the Bean books. :D
I'm apparently very lazy about most series... I've never had any strong enough desire to pick up the sequels to A Wrinkle in Time... I've had the sequel to Graceling (Fire? I think?) on my shelf for ages, and I managed to read book 2 of a trilogy by Le Guinn first (bargain book at the bookstore) and have had book 1 sitting around to read forever too... Oh and the sequel to Incarceron...still need to read that too... and the sequel to... Other than the two that are sitting on my shelves (which I can't explain why I haven't picked up, other than I've done most of my fiction reading while traveling and didn't have room for them), the others are mostly because I've somewhat stopped buying fiction and decided to try and wait until I can get them through the public library (either print or electronically)... But boy am I bad at series when I stop to look at it! (Oh and I'm part way through book 3 of Song of Ice and Fire - but that's because I don't really see the point in reading them past the end of the first book - I really enjoyed book 1, but once it became clear that the good guys weren't necessarily going to win in the end, and there were way too many bad guys, it just lost all appeal to me) I tend to avoid things that are already long series though (like Wheel of Time for example... and why I put off Song of Ice and Fire as long as I did...).
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think series have to be something you like. I enjoy the opportunity to get to know a world and characters more deeply than a single book usually allows--if, that is, I get thoroughly caught up in a story.
DeleteI've never dared to try Song of Ice and Fire. Wheel of Time may not end totally cheerfully, but I'll be shocked if the bad guys win. But for Song--like you, I'm not sure I trust Martin to let the good guys have the upper hand in the end. ;)
I used to LOVE series - but that was back when I was a kid and had the time to read (and reread) so much... But now, especially if I have to wait for the next book to come out, I just get lazy about the whole thing...
DeleteHey, my list is similar!
ReplyDeleteThe Giver *killed* me and I just haven't been able to make myself believe that the sequels / interquels / whatever they are can be as good.
I'd actually never read the middle Narnia books (The Silver Chair and The Horse and His Boy) until a friend sent them to me from Japan this year. And they turned out to be the best ones! Who knew?
I read through all of the Hitchhiker's Guide books in one sitting one time because they were all collected in a giant book together, and man, the last one, or next to last or whatever it was, was *dismal*, I don't even know what happened. I'd been gleefully reading for hours on end when suddenly I looked up and though, "Why isn't it funny anymore?"
Poor Sandy and Dennys! How are they ever going to develop one or more personalities if you never bother to read their book? But I totally haven't read Many Waters, either.
Haha! Those are my favorite Narnia books, too. :D
DeleteThe last Hitchhiker book was dismal? WHAT. Definitely not reading past book 3 now.
And that's exactly how I've felt about the sequels to The Giver. But people keep telling me to read them; two people have done so just today. :P
Want to know what bugs me about Dennys? I suspect his name is supposed to be pronounced "Dennis", but I read it as sounding like "Denny's", the restaurant chain. AND I CAN'T STOP.
I felt the same way about The Giver Though I did read book two recently, and really enjoyed it. Maybe I'll give the others a shot now.
ReplyDeleteI love Madeline L'Engle. I don't know if I can convince you to read them as an adult. They were just so magical when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteShallee, good to hear that you enjoyed the second book! I think I'll probably like it, emotional response to book 1 notwithstanding... just need to get around to it.
ReplyDeleteLBC, they're still magical for me! At least, the first three are. I just need to read the last two. :)
I hated the Giver, and I never knew it was a series, so how could I finish it? The Dragon books, um..by whatshername..you know, right, girl sings to dragons..I didn't even bother trying the series is HUGE.
ReplyDeleteI might actually get around to finishing the Hunger Games..I don't like them, but a friend is making my husband, and he's making me..
I never even tried the Hitchhiker's guide, I'd thought it was an instructional book when I first picked it up (how to hitchhike) and never forgave it.
Hitchhiker's Guide is actually really good, though I don't know how much you'd like it. And to be fair to the final book or whichever one it was, Jenna, there's a good chance that I just got burned out on too much Douglas Adams at once.
DeleteM, I DON'T know. What is this dragon-girl singing thing?
I don't bear any grudge against The Hunger Games; in fact, I suspect it's probably good, or at least interesting; I just have this really strong aversion to reading anything that reminds me even a little bit of Lord of the Flies.
Another series I've started & probably won't finish is Septimus Heap by Angie Sage. I haven't even actually finished the first book.
ReplyDelete