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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Ode to Series Books

Gosh, now that I've reached the big Oh-6 (followers that is) I guess I should actually start posting regularly again. We can't all be as cool, or as talented and pretty as Elizabeth, but I suppose we can try. :)

Alrighty then, I was going to post about Vampires, social media and thinking outside the box or possibly about how my social media efforts at work are going, but instead I decided to write today about series books.

I LOVE series books. It is quite possible that this love was born when I was seven, which would put it as an almost 32 year old obsession (no wait... almost 33 years... yikes!), born from reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. It might give you a glimpse into my personality - I have often remarked that some of my best friends live within the pages of my favorite books. Series books allow me to spend more time with those friends. I was an only child and we moved around a lot, is it any wonder?

Anyways, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite series books.

Besides Nancy and Trixie, the first series I recall collecting is the Xanth series from Piers Anthony. Unfortunately the series grew tiresome and far too "punny" at some point, but it was several books in (in the teens I'm certain) and the first several books are VERY good.

Yes, when I say series books, I'm not talking about a single sequel, but three or more books. To me, the more, the better - if they're well written.

David Eddings' Belgariad and Mallorian series, along with the Belgarath and Polgara books and the compendium, total 13 books and if he released another today I'd be first in line to buy it. In fact, I'm actually listening to Polgara's book on audiobook right now.

Another series by Piers Anthony is the Incarnations of Immortality. Death, Fate, Nature, Time, War and even Good and Evil all have their own book. Excellent series that you can read on two levels - simple enjoyment or a deeper level that will leave you thinking.

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. These books are very detailed, but they draw you in very deeply. The first time I read Outlander I literally finished the last page and started reading it over again. I mentioned these books in my last post too. If I were stuck on a desert island, Outlander is the book I'd want with me.

Kay Hooper's Bishop series is also excellent. It's about FBI agents who each have some psychic ability. Enthralling books.

There's William Diehl and Thomas Harris with their serial killer series'. Oh, and who could forget Jeff Linsday's Dexter series or Kathy Reich's Temperance Brennan series? Then there are the romance series books - Sabrina Jeffries, Mary Balogh, Stephanie Laurens (I think I have the most of her books out of any author - 32!), Julia Quinn.. they all have really well done series books.

Which reminds me. If you have an iPod/iPad/iPhone and a book collection, or simply love to read and are tired of buying books you already have because they changed the cover and re-released it check out my very favorite app - Book Crawler. This simple to use database helped me catalog my entire library (close to 900 books) in just a few hours. Finally, after thirty years, I have a running list of the books I own that I have with me all the time - and I cannot tell you how happy that makes me! Is it possible to be a book geek? :) I think I'm just so very happy to be able to read for pleasure again, I'm almost giddy with it!

3 comments:

  1. If you love series that allow you to really come to know and love (or hate) the characters,then I strongly recommend The Wheel of Time novels by Robert Jordon AND the Sword of Truth Novels by Terry Goodkind. There are at least 11 in each series (I think the Wheel of time just popped up to 13). I read both series at least once a year.

    Both writers draw you in. I laugh. I cry. I scream at the injustices.

    Come, meet my friends Richard and Kahlan.

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