What is your favorite book series?

[Ron]

Brandon Sanderson completed the Wheel of Time series in 3 volumes, Kitt. I forgot to mention that much. I think it's the best he could do and still get all the ducks in a row. Don't know if you read 'New Spring' 2004, Jordan which was a breath of fresh air at the time because it harkened back to the beginning of the series and it's ease of writing? Sanderson brought that style and ease back to the series at the end.

[iSimba]

I did notice the last few books he wrote were kind of hard to work through

[Ron]

I did notice the last few books he wrote were kind of hard to work through

 

They certainly were hard to get through. What was it, a whole book to get through 3 days or something like that.

[iSimba]

With that long of a series it ends up getting so convoluted

[Kitt]

I'm surprised he could tie it all together in three. By the time i decided to just wait till it was done it was more like four related novels funning concurrently than one story.

[JamesSavik]

With that long of a series it ends up getting so convoluted

 

 

Yeah- the Honor Harrington thing has split into several branches.

 

It's gone from being  a conflict between Manticore and the Peoples Republic of Haven to Manticore & Allies against the Solarian League: a huge association of worlds that covers most of the galaxy in a faux democracy run by trans-stellar corporations.

 

Whee! That's a war across most of the known galaxy. Lot's of room for drama and 700 page epics.

[iSimba]

Yeah- the Honor Harrington thing has split into several branches.

 

It's gone from being  a conflict between Manticore and the Peoples Republic of Haven to Manticore & Allies against the Solarian League: a huge association of worlds that covers most of the galaxy in a faux democracy run by trans-stellar corporations.

 

Whee! That's a war across most of the known galaxy. Lot's of room for drama and 700 page epics.

 

...what?

Edited August 27, 2013 by iSimba

[JamesSavik]

...what?

 

I was talking about David Weber's Honor Harrington series- 16 books+ and still going.

 

Making your point about how convoluted these things can get.

[Celethiel]

by the time i got to the Knife of Dreams, i started to really dislike Rand Al Thor.... and wasn't to sure about Perigrin (can't spell his name) i love Matt.

[Ron]

by the time i got to the Knife of Dreams, i started to really dislike Rand Al Thor.... and wasn't to sure about Perigrin (can't spell his name) i love Matt.

 

 

Everyone loves, Matt.

[Kitt]

Speak for yourself! lol I am partial to a-Lan Mandragoran myself.

[Ron]

Speak for yourself! lol I am partial to a-Lan Mandragoran myself.

 

 

Oh. Yeah. I forgot about him. Mmmm.

[Sympathia]

Malazan bok of the fallen by Steven Erikson <3

[Celethiel]

Malazan bok of the fallen by Steven Erikson <3

i've heard that author's name before... I wonder if i've ever read anything by him...

[B1ue]

I was talking about David Weber's Honor Harrington series- 16 books+ and still going.

 

Making your point about how convoluted these things can get.

I'm starting to edge away from this series for that reason. When it feels like half the book is spent covering what happened in the other books, albeit from a different angle, I'm not sure it's time well spent.

 

Which was your favorite, James? I enjoyed Echoes of Honor and the Shadows subseries, I think because they both feature many points of views rather than having most of the narrative centered on one person. I'm not disparaging third person central, of course, but third person scattered (my own personal jargon for this type of writing) appeals to me more.

[JamesSavik]

I'm starting to edge away from this series for that reason. When it feels like half the book is spent covering what happened in the other books, albeit from a different angle, I'm not sure it's time well spent.

 

Which was your favorite, James? I enjoyed Echoes of Honor and the Shadows subseries, I think because they both feature many points of views rather than having most of the narrative centered on one person. I'm not disparaging third person central, of course, but third person scattered (my own personal jargon for this type of writing) appeals to me more.

 

 

I like all of it.Weber has opened up the Honor-verse to other authors.

 

I cheat though- I listen to audiobooks on my MP3 player

Edited August 30, 2013 by jamessavik

[lathe_biosas]

My favorite book series is the Mars trilogy, Kim Stanley Robinson (Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars). 12 years of research, serious ethical/political/scientific dilemmas, a zillion distinct, well developed characters that interact and transform, and a fun romp through some of the most epic moves humankind could make in the coming centuries. Bonus for queer heroines.

[Palantir]

My all time best is LOTR - which can be looked on as a series or not depending on your point of view.

 

Others abound.

The first series I recall from my teen years is Tarzan with the incredible chapter by chapter suspense which E R Boroughs was a master at.

Soon after came the 'Cities In Flight' novels by James Blish.

E E Doc Smith blew my mind with his Triplanetary and Lensman novels - space operas with vast and wonderful vistas for their time.

Asimov's Robot and Foundation series.

James H Schmitz with his Federation of the Hub novels.

Anne McCaffrey with Dragons Of Pern, Pegasus in Flight and Tower and Hive.

Robin McKinley's Chronicles of Damar.

The extraordinary Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper.

Urula K LeGuin's wondrous EarthSea stories.

The Riftwar Cycle from Raymond Feist.

The Song of Wirrun series by Australia's Patricia Wrightson.

Guy Kavriel Kay and the Fionavar Tapestry.

 

In a different vein - I love the John D McDonald books about Travis McGee - the tough guy who inspired Lee Child for his Jack Archer books.

Peter O'Donnell wrote the Modesty Blaise novels which I still enjoy rereading in preference to many of the more modern adventure writers.

 

The list goes on but I'll finish with George Martin's Game of Thrones and Robin Hobb's Tawny Man series.

[Thorn Wilde]

Urula K LeGuin's wondrous EarthSea stories.

 

Oh, my God, yes!! My introduction to slightly more grown up fantasy.

 

(Also, the Game of Thrones book series is actually called A Song of Ice and Fire...)

Edited September 6, 2013 by Thorn Wilde

[Palantir]

Oops! Thanks Thorn.

[Uziel]

Harry Potter!!!

[Thorn Wilde]

Oops! Thanks Thorn.

 

I can be a little anal retentive at times. Sorry 'bout that.

[chrysoprase]

From sci fi, Larry Niven's "Ringworld" series.  From fantasy, "Lord of the Rings", the gold standard by which all other high fantasy novels should be measured.  From literature, a personal favorite - although it may not really be a "series" - is "The Alexandria Quartet", by Lawrence Durrell.  

[mickey1952]

Among my favorites are the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child and the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz.