posted
Did anyone read the Symphony of the Ages trilogy?
I just finished the first three books, which I thought were a self contained trilogy. Nope. Turns out there is a whole other series. Argh. I don't think I will read them. I think I am done, and this trilogy wrapped up nicely.
I did the same thing with Wizard's First Rule. It was OK, and I know there is a plethora of books after that one, but I convinced myself all was well in that world, and moved on.
In general, after getting strung along by Robert Jordan, I check to see if a series is finite before I start it. I really thought this Rhapsody series was a trilogy and that was that.
Does anyone else have this issue?
[ February 12, 2005, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
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posted
I could mention Xanth, but I honestly think that a large part of my decision that the series was over was simply the fact that I outgrew Piers Anthony's writing style. So I don't know if that counts.
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Liz, are you sure you aren't me? although I think Jenni would be upset...
I did the same thing with that series....and I wish I had done that with Goodkinds too. I liked the first three by him, but he lost me after that.
And I haven't read The Crystal City yet....even though that is my favorite OSC series....I didn't like Heartfire that much, and I am afraid TCC will disapoint me.
posted
Sure it counts. In fact, it is a big part of it for me, actually. You get to know where an author is going more. Except with that evil George Martin, who has no problem with surprises.
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OK, Kwea, now it is weird. I did not read Crystal City either! I think of it as "yet," but in truth, I thought it might be a bit much.
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*high fives Elizabeth and Kwea* It doesn't seem like it's even part of the same series...or about the same characters. There's some guy named Alvin Maker that I have been led to believe is someone OTHER than the guy that I read about in the first 14 chapters of TCC. I was beginning to feel that way in Journeyman and Heartfire, but at least in those two books Alvin was still....Alvin.
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I do that too... with Goodkind and Piers Anthony and Robert Jordan.
I just recently finished the Alvin Maker Series, after putting it down for a bit. I thought it was worth it Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Well, Alvin has become a little too god-like of late. But keep in mind who he was based on. I also felt The Crystal City didn't feature enough of Alvin's friends, like Mike Fink and . . . the other one. You know, the English guy. The lawyer. Devilishly handsome fellow with the charming dry wit. Can't think of his name.
But I still enjoyed it. I can't help it. The whole Alvin Maker series has me entranced. I am in love with the world Alvin inhabits. I'm glad there aren't a lot of books left because series that get long inevitably get bad, and nobody is so good a writer that they're incapable of doing a bad book. But I also wish there were more books so I could immerse myself in that world longer. Hm.
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With Jordan, I just abandoned the world. I could not deceive myself that all was sewn up neatly. With A Wizard's First Rule, even though I knew there was more to come, the story was pretty well wrapped up.
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The 4th Rhapsody book definitely isn't necessary, if you finish the series after book three you'll feel like it's complete.
However *spoilers* I keep reading because I'm a huge Achmed fan, and want to be there when Ashe finally goes off to commune with the elements or whatever and Achmed can have what he wants and be happy. Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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But mostly Jordan. (Whom, ironically, I like most of the three. That's why it bothers me more to see this series drag on.)
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The Jordan series has 4 books. The Alvin series has 3 books. The Ender series has 2 books. There are only 3 Star Wars movies. There is only one Riverworld book. There are only 3 seasons of Smallville.
Yeah -- I do that all the time.
edit: Not really. I still read the others, then decide which ones are "official" to me.
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Belle, I want Achmed to get what he wants, too, but he is so patient, I feel I can wait, to, and just imagine it. Plus, there is a fifth and a sixth book!(wait, no, maybe just a fifth)
Icarus, I think when Jordan is finally done, I may go back and read through the rest. (I think I got to six-halfway through the Winter one.) I have mentioned this before, but it also started to get on my nerves how many spankings the grown women got.
With Anne McCaffrey, I wish I had stopped at the original trilogy, and the Menolly trilogy.
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O_o Oh, for a second I thought you said 3 Star Wars books. And I was confused as to whether you were representing yourself as a discriminating media consumer.
I enjoyed The Crystal City but I am hopeful that the in between stories will be appended to either book V or VI at some point, because I still haven't read them. I think the development of Calvin is key to what goes on.
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Star Trek ended with TNG or maybe DS9. And they also stopped at First Contact. There are three Star Wars movies. There is only one Matrix movie (the Animatrix may be permissible, though. I haven't seen those). If there were fewer books in the Song of Ice and Fire series, maybe Martin would be done with them by now and I wouldn't have to wait.
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Elizabeth, I agree totally with you about McCaffrey's Pern books. However, her other science fiction series are much shorter and, in my opinion, much better. With the exception of the Acorna books, I have really enjoyed most of them. Crystal Singer series, Talents series, and the Sassinak books are my favorites.
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*laughs* The Acorna series is about the only McCaffrey series I can stand. That and her one young adult trilogy that was really good. I found the Talent series boring and repetitive after the 3rd book and never read more than a couple of Pern books because I didn't believe the world at all.
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Cor, I loved Sassinak!!! You ar the on;y other person I know who has read them. However, my favorite nonPern McCaffrey series is Dinosaur Planet and Dinosaur Planet Survivors. Did you read those?
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quote: How is Goodkind's writing? Is it worth me going to the trouble of finding at the library?
blacwolve, have you never read a post I have written? Seriously, I am trying to do you the biggest favor of your reading life: don't waste the time on him. Now, if you ignore my good advice, you only have yourself to blame.
Seriously, he is the most incompetent widely selling author I have ever read.
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Icky, I liked the first book, and the second. Now I just read them out of habit.
I just read Crystal City today, adn I liked it better than I liked Heartfire...not that that is saying much. Really, I liked the whole book, the series feels like it is wrapping up.
Liz, I would recommend it, I really would. As a matter for fact I can now loan it to you. Maybe we could do a trade, once you are finished the that new Russell book.
quote: Cor, I loved Sassinak!!! You ar the on;y other person I know who has read them. However, my favorite nonPern McCaffrey series is Dinosaur Planet and Dinosaur Planet Survivors. Did you read those?
I've read (and enjoyed) them. In fact, I think I've read everything McCaffrey has written (except the two newest Pern books, really by her son) except the Crystal Singer books, which I didn't care for at all.
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rivka, you'd best delete that last sentence [about the Crystal Singer Books] before Cor checks the forum again, or you shall be shunned at BobNDanaCon.
Just a word to the wise.
Seriously, you don't know what you're saying . . .
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Icarus- Some people seem to like the first books in the series. I guess I'm asking whether they're worth reading, the ones people like, I mean.
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I got your opinion. Notice all the other people posting in this thread? I'm looking for their opinions. Though I think at this point it's sort of a losing proposition.
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I did that with the Soprano sorceress books. I read the first couple, and just decided I was done.
The same with the Recluse books. I LOVED the first handfull or so, but they just got old after a while.
I am still reading Jordan's books...though I really wish he would finish.
I'm also reading Goodkind's books...though that series is ending soon (two more books and he is done). His latest (Chainfire) was one of his best (I'd put it right under Faith of the Fallen, which was my fav).
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quote:Cynthia Voigt's Tillerman books stopped after the first three.
They so did not. By the first three, you mean Homecoming, Dicey's Song and A Solitary Blue, right? In my opinion, Come A Stranger ranks up with those three, and Sons From Afar and The Runner only slightly below. The only one in the series that I were somewhat disappointed with was Seventeen Against the Dealer. Not that it is a bad book, but the conclusion of Jeff and Dicey's love story could have been handled better and the story with Dicey's dad ended on an unsatisfactory note. And also, since Dicey is by far my favourite character, I had high hopes that a book that focused on her would contain, well, something more.
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Kwea, a trade sounds great! Visitors are always welcome here, by the way, even though the house is a mess.
I am reading The Shadow Land(not the title, I cannot seem to remember it), and I have forgotten SO much about Book 2. My mom in law has it, or I wold have re-read it first.
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posted
"Did anyone read the Symphony of the Ages trilogy?
I just finished the first three books, which I thought were a self contained trilogy. Nope. Turns out there is a whole other series. Argh. I don't think I will read them. I think I am done, and this trilogy wrapped up nicely."
Just finished Book 4, loved it, am getting Book 5, and now BOOK 6 IS NOT PUBLISHED.
You see, this is what I was trying to avoid all along, dagnabbit. So, do i get Book 5, read it, and then wait in misery? Or do i wait until Book 6 comes out in paperback(because it is awful to have a collection of five matching books with one big honking book-just the Monk in me), or what?
I hate fantasy writers and their evil ways!
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