Series vs Singles

[Tipdin]

I prefer series because I think it gives the story more depth. However, like many others have said, if the series goes on for too long, people lose interest because it becomes too diluted with repeating events. That doesn't mean I won't read standalone stories though. I think it all boils down to a quality over quantity kind of thing. A standalone can be better than a series if it is very well written, though i'm guessing that it would be easier to create more depth in a series than in a standalone story.

 

For series, I tend to prefer trilogies. Such as the Matrix, Bourne, and the LOTR trilogies. I think it also helps when an author writes many stories that are based within the same universe, but can be read independently.

 

I think you have captured the essence of what people have said very well.

 

Most ANY thing can get old if it drags on too long. Whether a single or a series, if it's good, it's good. The secret I guess is for an author to know when enough is enough, and for a reader to know if they're looking for a quickie or a commitment.

[drakeenus]

I have to agree with Phoenix on this. There have been some long series that i have fallen in love with and still go back to read on occasion, such as The Vampire Chronicles and the Witching Hour trilogy from Anne Rice, but on the other hand there is the problem of waiting forever and a day on a follow up book in some series.(I am still grinding my teeth waiting for the final book in the Eragon series)

 

But overall I like the "loosely-tied-together universe" theory best such as the Colby stories by Tim Mead because you don't "have" to read all of them or in any real order to understand the story line of the current book.

[Graeme]

I prefer single stories OR a series that was written to be a series OR a series where each story is largely standalone.

 

Unfortunately, I've had some bad experiences with some trilogies where the first two books were great, but the third (and supposedly the dramatic conclusion) were appalling. That's turned me off trilogies (and similar). I'm happy to read standalone stories in the same universe, though (such as Tom Clancy's Ryanverse mentioned earlier), even if they're not all the same quality. One example is Frank Herbert's Dune series, where I found every second book to be a dud, but the others were great and made the series worthwhile.

[Tipdin]

It sounds like reading a series may be a bit like throwing the dice at a casino. You never know what you'll get.

 

...of course even with a single, you don't know what you'll get. Life is just so IFFY...!