Something a Little Different

Because I have been reading books within the same series for a couple weeks now, I decided I should write something a little different but related.

If you haven’t noticed by now, I enjoy reading books that are part of a series, and even better if they are from a long series. I tend to go through books quickly and I don’t particularly like the search for something new to read, by reading a series of books I don’t have to look for new books as often. It’s hard to find good new books- books that you can lose yourself in, forgetting everything beyond the pages. Often, especially in the romance genre, most books are mediocre at best. 

Few authors seem able to achieve the perfect combination and balance of plot, character depth, intrigue, romance, suspense, action, adventure, and sense of achievement. And the few who can, understandably, have very similar characters and overall plot lines. This makes reading all of a writer’s works not as enjoyable because the books become predictable. However, once you’ve read enough books from various authors within a particular genre, they all are fairly predictable. 

So how does one overcome this dilemma? I will not try to answer that for everyone, but I’ll share my solution. The question for me is no longer ‘How will the story end?’ but instead, ‘How do the characters arrive at the ending?’. While I might be able to guess the ending, for example, the two main characters falling in love, I do not know exactly how they came together. I find joy in following a character’s journey and growth, especially in longer series where the books take place over years or decades if not generations.

Questions for my readers: What kind of books are your favorite to read or listen to? Do you prefer reading or listening to novellas, stand-alone novels, trilogies, or series? What components do you feel are necessary for a good book?