No puzzle this week (sorry GT and Patzer). I have excuses but everyone has excuse, I’ll endeavor to persevere do better next week.
That said, Glibbook discussion this week – are you a completionist or completeist or whatever the right word is for someone who has to read every book by an author or in a series even if they stop being enjoyable? I was/am, I read the entire Repairman Jack/Adversary cycle, and oh man were the last five or six of those books just awful but I read them anyway. I like to think I’m past that now, but it’s a hard habit to break. I blame Alfred Hitchcock, one of the first series of books I read for my own enjoyment was his* “Three Detectives”, It’s a great marketing ploy- number the books and young nerds will be driven to complete the set. Then I moved on to Piers Anthony, fuck me, you could spend all the paper route money you earned and still not buy/read every one of his books (I tried) Xanth, Space Tyrant, Tarot, Incarnations… you get the idea. As I said I’m getting better, I don’t fall for the fantasy/sci-fi trap anymore, Crime and mystery? that’s another story, I’ll still snap up any Ken Bruen novel and am working my way through Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels.
So fellow glibs, are there series you read even though the author lost the plot? are there authors you’ll read just because you’ve read everything else he/she/it wrote?
Bonus Question – What’s the longest (most books) series you’ve read without once thinking of bailing?
*Alfred Hitchcock had nothing to do with the books
I’m about 2/3rds the way through this book.
Redemption (1) (Ryan Drake)
It’s the first book in a series by Will Jordan. It’s basic international-thriller kind of thing. Competent story telling so far. I will probably continue with the series to see if he improves with practice.
By the way, Will Jordan is also known as the Critical Drinker.
Generally, I’ll read one of a series and see if I want to read the rest, especially if there is too much of a gap between books. I chomped my way through Harries Potter 1-6 and then by the time 7 came out, I didn’t care anymore. I read the first Twilight book just to see what the fuss was, but wasn’t interested in the rest. My guilty pleasure is middle-aged newly-manless woman discovers she has magic. They’re just Skittles-level fun so I usually read whatever the author has written in that world, but they’re almost totally forgettable, so I don’t go back to pick up following books. If I find an author I like, I will glom a few books and never go back once I’ve exhausted their catalog or am exhausted by their voice.
Same.
I absolutely do not hesitate to bail when I get bored. I’m looking at you, Stephen King.
” My guilty pleasure is middle-aged newly-manless woman discovers she has magic.”
I think that says a lot about you. Tell me more…
LOL what does it say? I wish I had magical powers so I could twinkle my nose and suddenly the house is clean? No woman in her right mind would turn that down.
I bailed on Alastair Reynolds and Kim Stanley Robinson.
But I probably read every Piers Anthony book there was when I was a kid. It’s like Lay’s potato chips, you just keep eating them.
We’re more forgiving readers when we’re young, and if we like to read, we’re going to read voraciously and nothing’s off the table.
I was bummed by Reynolds as I enjoyed the first couple of books, but it seemed that he had run out of ideas and went full deus ex machina to resolve it.
I have several of his on the back burner. I will get to them eventually.
I’m half way through “Eversion” which I found in the new books section of the local library. So far it’s pretty good.
What’s the longest (most books) series you’ve read without once thinking of bailing?
Discworld. Until Sir Terry got Alzheimer’s, and it wasn’t discworld anymore.
Probably the same. I was thinking the Malazan books before you reminded me about Discworld. I think I’ve read all of the Malazan books (including the prequel series and the side series (plural)).
Main series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FPV89PP?binding=kindle_edition&ref_=dbs_s_ks_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1676237125&sr=1-1
I would also throw the Flashman books in there. I’ve only listened to them, because the reader for at least the first several is excellent.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074C3R64K?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_aps_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1676237345&sr=8-1
The Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. I eagerly read the series and still re-read the naval warfare focused books of the series. The series also enticed me into spin off books on naval language dictionaries and recipe books.
Airplane mode now. Ciao.
Probably Taylor Anderson’s Destroyermen series. Second place, Harry Turtledove’s Southern Victory/American Empire books.
For mysteries, I was a Rex Stout ‘Nero Wolfe’ completist. I’ll grab and read his others, but with no strong desire to read every word he got printed.
For SF, Neil Asher is my completist author.
For Fantasy, it was Stephen Donaldson until his final Covenant quartet. They’re still in my ‘inten to read’ pile, but the odds grow ever against that. His most recent trilogy, The Great Gods War, started well, but the final volume was a let down. I hate to say it was crap, but it was crap. I think I’ve read all of Patricia McKillip’s fantasy, or at least that which doesn’t veer deep into romance territory. I think I’ve completed all but the 2 or 3 earliest Robert Jackson Bennett, who I highly recommend.
In my philosophy reading, it’s hit or miss. I’m hampered by not reading German, let alone early 20th century academic German, so “all” of Husserl is out. And so on 😉 Not really a fan of 20th century analytic philosophy, so I’ve spared myself the ever changing and prolific Bertrand Russell. (My primary professor is at least moderately horrified by this.)
Etc 😉
And how could I forget Pratchett? sigh
I enjoy Pratchett as well. I was introduced to them by my son toward the end of the before times.
I loved Donandson’s Gap Into… series. I though that was one of the best SFnal series of the ninties. Couldn’t read anything else by him, no matter how hard I tried.
I scored some Deschutes “Red Chair’ at the store. I haven’t seen it in a long time. It’ll be an excellent special Stupor Bowl beer (assuming the haven’t chnged thev recipe.
And- speaking of beer… my food experiment is in progress. I got some beef short ribs the other day. In the crockpot with some packaged “fajita” seasoning and most of a can of that beer I didn’t like. It smells pretty good.
All of Ian Flemings Bond novels and all of Cornwell’s Sharpe books.
I loved the “Three Detectives” but I only read a couple.
Repairman Jack/Adversary – I enjoyed every one of them.
I read this series. It was adorable and mature at the same time, and quite libertarianish.
For series, I try to read the whole series. I made it through “The Wheel of Time” minus the prequels.
I have all of the “History of Middle-Earth” books queued up. I’m on “The Book of Lost Tales Part Two” still. It’s been slow going due to other stuff.
Ditto on wheel of time.
Hard to beat that.
I did the whole “Wheel of Time” series too.
To be honest I had a long commute at the time and the library had them all on on cd. I think I read the first and last in print, the rest were audiobooks.
I used to be a pretty compulsive completionist. The Wheel of Time broke me of that. Pretty sure it’s the first series, and the first book (I think it was the 4th) I ever quit partway through.
GlibBooks.
https://archive.ph/5x5Aq/43a296d73cc512fd54bc5f681892b75c6802cb0b.jpg
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/luJPb/3ba1541d2e94c65d3ca1c59238c3eb840d8604f1.jpg
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/292uG/c5816db4e559224db3a4dd2cbb12357bb1793b3b.jpg
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/bvkAe/f7f3398dd76b53c2f76faa6907c1b2420e7f2c20.webp
NSFW.
I am spoiled
Ah back when…
Not safe for work but totally safe for many school libraries.
I would like to read her entire anthology.
So far I’ve read all 13 (so far) of the full-length novels in Jodi Taylor’s Chronicles of St. Mary’s series about historians who
time travel(ahem) “investigate major historical events in contemporary time.” I’ve also read almost all of the short stories that have come out in between the books’ publications except for a few very short ones that really only appeared on Taylor’s website. I plan to read book #14 when it’s published in June. They haven’t all been top-notch, but I’m still enjoying them enough to stick with them. They’re mostly very funny, though occasionally heartbreaking.I’ve read almost all of Taylor’s other shorter series EXCEPT the spin-off from the St. Mary’s series that revolves around those historians’ nemeses, the Time Police. However, having concluded that I’m not up for reading nonfiction history at the moment and needing some light reading material for an upcoming short getaway (but not very far) vacation, just yesterday I started reading the first of that series, Doing Time. So far, so good.
I recently recommended the St. Mary’s series to Tundra, and so far I have not seen him cursing my name. How’s that goin’, buddy?
Oh, yeah – I also read quite a few of Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee mysteries, mainly either side of a trip to NW NM several years ago. Don’t recall if I’ve read (or finished) any of the ones his daughter Anne wrote after Tony’s death.
And also oh yeah –
😢
After the Turtledove World War series in the 90s, I vowed to never again start a series until it was complete. Then I fucked up with Song of Ice and Fire.
Fuck you Martin.
Yeah, I bailed on that one 3 or 4 books in.
Thomas Covenant, Shannara, Safehold – that any many more bailed. Though I might try the last one again.
I read all of Thomas Covenant back in the day. I remember liking the first trilogy more than the second.
I read the first two Thomas Covenant trilogies. I hear there is a third one. I should give a try to be complete, but I don’t feel all that motivated.
I didn’t make it through the first Thomas Covenant book. Can’t put my finger on why – it just didn’t grab me. Of course, I keep trying to plow through Lord of the Rings (loved the movies) and can’t make it through Fellowship of the Ring. Similar results with the Harry Potter books – enjoyed the movies but didn’t make it through the first book.
Me neither. The protagonist was so unlikeable. I know that was on purpose but geez.
I bailed about three or four books in on Martin also, and the wheel of time got forgotten at some point, book 5 or 7 maybe? Dunno.
I couldn’t finish the Homecoming series by Orson Scott Card.
I liked the first few books then it started to get very stuck and boring.
I’ll typically try to finish a series as long as it is not written by a sibling, kid , or other money grabs.
I stopped reading the Man Kizin wars after a multitude of volumes. At some point the stories and been tapped of interesting concepts. I did enjoy many of the novels. Such a great playground.
There are so many great ones in their, by somehow the Niven ones are generally the best.
My favorite though was the kzin backstory with the primitive Riit tribe.
Mine as well. The zoo was a really cool plot device.
I haven’t gotten tired of the Man-Kzin Wars series yet. It has been all over the place for quality so some of the stories were a slog.
Excellent set of stories
I think I’ve read everything Niven has written in his “Know Space” universe although I don’t think of it as a series.
Shorter *THE* Atlantic: We have no idea why people are leaving blue states in droves for red states but we’re eleventy zillion percent sure it’s not because qualify of life in blue states has gone down faster than a drunk sorority girl. PS: people who live in red states are ignorant, backward fascists so if you move to a red state you’ll be sacrificing your freedom for a cheap McMansion so please maybe don’t move to one ok?
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/blue-states-got-too-comfortable/ar-AA17lDES
Wow. Not an ounce of insight beyond recognizing the migration to red states.
FFS this trend has been going on my entire life. Even California was mostly red until the 90s.
To continue to profess that “blue states are the future” is delusional at this point.
If you aren’t OK with working 40+ years to get to retirement so that all of your tax dollars can go to funding pensions for public sector unions, you are a bigot.
WSC is a petulant child who loves hi mummy, only 1000 pages to go, great fun!
Thanks to everyone who came out to the North Texas Glib gathering! Special thanks to the charming Bearded Hobbit and his wife who drove down to Dallas! it was great to meet locals LadyZ, Seguin, and Trashy!
How was the burger? Was it done smash style?
I read this start to finish. https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/bay-area-tahoe-train-forgotten-17772129.php
I found it more compelling, insightful, and better written than anything you’ve posted here. Let alone whatever retarded prose you’ve slopped on actual foolscap in your mongoloid delusional outbreaks.
Oh, yea? Well at least I know how to link.
You know who else knows how to link?
Your mom.
I had a bison burger and it was pressed to not lose too much moisture. It had bacon jelly too and it was excellent.
Sounds delicious.
Thanks RJ, it was cool to meet some Glibs in meatspace.
It was great! I hope to see you all again. I am with Tall Thin Spaniard and his wife now. She made a cheese ball for Super Bowl! Wooo!
It was nice meeting you all! And thanks, R.J. for setting it up.
So welcome. We will come through your state soon and visit you, and go through Meow Wolf. Mrs. R.J. will actually come with me.
I stopped with Steven King with IT Standard joke – he left off a couple letters. The guy is very readable; I finished the book to my disappointment. The 12 year old gang bang was too much, but even the stupid crap he’d written before wasn’t bad enough to drive me away, because The Shining, The Stand his Bachman Books, which were pretty good.
He has a talent to make you speed through his words. It’s only when you get through enough that you realize sometimes it’s not worth it.
I stopped picking up and reading Stephen King books a long time ago. I forget which one I stopped with.
His short stories are great. Early stuff where he had editors willing to tell him “No” were good. The “Dark Tower” series was up and down.
I remember reading an essay he wrote about censorship back in the late 80s, early 90s. He claimed the editor for “The Stand” cut out some bits just because of sex. In the essay, he quoted some of those bits. Later I read the unabridged “The Stand” and remember those bits he quoted. I think the real reason the editor cut them is they had nothing to do with advancing the story or fleshing out characters, and the book was long enough as it was. Censoring sex had nothing to do with it.
I guess he didn’t get his own memo when he pulled “Rage” out of the market as well as he could, after Columbine. Husband has that one.
I was 15 or so when I glommed everything King had written to that point and moved on, never went back. That says nothing about King’s quality or lack thereof. He introduced me to a concept that blew 15yo me’s mind: Comfort sex.
I feel that. I got my first King book about that age. He became my favorite writer about the same time or shortly after. He’s really talented; you can gobble up up his words like nothing. Then you hit the monkey wrench that messes with the premise.
I stopped with King (mostly) over 30 years ago. I found It to be… unscary. That and every main character of his seems to be a writer or college professor and I could only roll my eyes so much.
I did tend to gloss over them when running bookstores though, so I could talk about them to customers.
Completionist here. For some reason I kept reading the Tom Clancy Op-Center novels even after he died and someone else was writing (poorly) for the series, I am hopelessly addicted to the Outlander series, and I lost track of how many Orson Scott Card novels I’ve read. My favorite long series is Dark Tower from the idiot Stephen King, and I’ve read them through more than once. Currently on book 5 of Foundation series from Asimov.
Almost forgot the Loise Penny Inspector Armand series, I think there are 23 or 24 now. I kept reading even after the author ghost-wrote a novel for Hillary Clinton. They are the most charming, fun reads.
Despite my disappointment in the lack of puzzle, I will play…
What’s the longest (most books) series you’ve read without once thinking of bailing?
Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes ( This chick. British detective series by a ‘merican). I’ve read the first 16, intend to pick it up where I left off as soon as I am no longer too
busylazy to start reading again.If Sanderson can maintain the quality, I’ll read every one of his Stormlight series as they come out – and the short stories in that universe. He’s 4 gigantic (1000+ page) books into the story.
https://a.co/d/01Ppxmx
I’ve read all 12 books in John Ringo’s “Legacy of the Aldenata” series. Wish he would continue it.
Because I managed bookstores for years who pretty much had to read an ass load of books, I quickly found myself able to put them aside and be able to go back to the book weeks or month later, if I was still thinking about it. If I wasn’t, I didn’t bother with it any more. And, no, I never felt the need to read everything by an author when they inevitably went down hill.
In any case, I am reading The Shooting Party, by Isobel Colegate right now. I story of the goings on at a Edwardian shooting party right on the eve of WWI and how it shows the end of a certain type of life, for good or bad. I found it due to the movie that had been made from it with an incredible cast. Here is the trailer for it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPvF88suY1Q
‘Splosives, if, in the next few months you find yourself needing something pretty in your life, Skagit county (just north of Seattle) has a tulip festival the entire month of April. Definitely worth checking out.https://tulipfestival.org/
Oh, nearly forgot. The longest series of books I read are all the Conan paperbacks, at least the “original” 12 of them. I tried one of Robert Jordan ones, put that down right quick!
I used to read books to the bitter end. Now I bail quickly and without mercy.
I’m sure that has something to do with getting old.
Ribs are smoking and the neighbors are circling. Glad I made a bunch!
Oh, and I’ve read every one of Ian Rankin’s Rebus books and liked them all. 24, I think?
Also Pratchett. Some people know how to deliver.
OMG “Shenandoah.” I adore that songbecause reasons.
And no, I don’t like that I’m so susceptible to blatant emotionally manipulative nationalism, but I am. It’s the CONCEPT of the U.S., not the reality. Dusty in here.
COCAINE BEAR COMMERCIAL DURING SUPERBOWL!
Christ, can we stop with the effin emotional support commercials?
Yeah. I ignore those. Been talking about cheese ball recipes now.
Cheese ball #1: Tiki style
Instead of cheddar, use havarti.
Use dried cranberries and pineapple
Cover with crushed macadamias
Serve with rum drinks
Google is going all Stalin with the photo app
They trotted out Damar Hamlin to sit next to Goodell and the Kelce mom. Black guy sitting on the edge looking awkward as fuck as two old white people hold court.
So far, boring game.
And not with a bang, but a whimper.
Too bad, the second started pretty good.
Its over? KC won?
Good. Im going to work. Alert Rufus.
Very late to the party but thank you all for the replies, this might be the most ‘on topic’ commented on post I’ve ever posted. Good talk, good talk.