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Every time I finish a really great book series, regardless of whether I was satisfied with how the author chose to end it or not, I always get this incredibly hollow feeling inside myself afterward. Like a severe depression takes over. Cause...you know...it's over. That's it. These characters and stories that I've grown to love are gone.
Luckily for me, most of the books this has happened with I've only started reading the series when all the books have been out already, or at least most of them. Even Harry Potter I only started reading a short time before the 6th book came out, so it's only been a few years. I can't imagine having started reading them from the very beginning, reading these books for 10 years now, and have it all end. Especially for someone who started reading them when they were younger and have grown up with them. I'd imagine it'd be a pretty emotional experience.
I've been lessening the blow of Harry Potter being over by re-reading bits and pieces of Deathly Hallows every day at random.
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I have the opposite reaction. When I finish a beloved series, it makes me want to go out and read more. There are so many great series that I haven't even started yet!
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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true, and I'm like that in general, when I finish a book I usually can't wait to pick up my next read. But a really beloved series is a creature of a different sort for me. It's just so sad to me that I can't continue on with these characters that I've grown to love. That their adventures are over.
I never got into fanfiction, but I imagine that's why people enjoy it.
posted
Which is probably why I don't get fanfiction.
I wish that several of my favorite series had ended earlier than they did. I'd much rather end on a high note than have the later installments tarnish what came before.
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The problem I have is knowing where to turn to next. After finishing a great series, there's that risk factor in starting something new.
Posts: 66 | Registered: Jan 2006
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quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: I wish that several of my favorite series had ended earlier than they did. I'd much rather end on a high note than have the later installments tarnish what came before.
Interesting! Which ones?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Strider -- have you ever *tried* fanfiction?
For anyone who might be interested (and i know some here are very against it, and I respect that) I can recommend some good ones. Posts: 3516 | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: I wish that several of my favorite series had ended earlier than they did. I'd much rather end on a high note than have the later installments tarnish what came before.
Interesting! Which ones?
I know this question is not directed at me but I'll put in my two pence.
The Bourne series should have ended when Ludlum died. The Bourne Legacy was horrible. The first three were great. Completely different than the movies.
Posts: 1766 | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Strider: I've been lessening the blow of Harry Potter being over by re-reading bits and pieces of Deathly Hallows every day at random.
I'm glad someone besides me does that--my family keeps giving me funny glances.
Posts: 973 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: I wish that several of my favorite series had ended earlier than they did. I'd much rather end on a high note than have the later installments tarnish what came before.
Interesting! Which ones?
I cannot think of many book series I feel that way about, but here are some stories that come to mind:
The Matrix -- stop after one movie.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- stop after season 5.
SG1 -- stop after season 7 or 8 (I can't decide).
Alvin Maker -- stop after book 3.
The Robot and Foundation stories by Asimov -- stop before he started tying the universes together.
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Buffy Season 6 is my second favorite season. Seven didn't need to happen. But I understand not bringing her back to life.
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As far as fantasy goes, Piers Anthony's "Xanth" novels started out really good. I think I really enjoyed up to 4 or 5, but after that it got pretty stale.
Posts: 127 | Registered: Jul 2006
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Good point Strider. I particularly felt that way when finishing the Homecoming series. I felt that the end of book 4 was too abrupt end to the characters we all knew in books 1-3. Book 5 was good but very different. I found myself reading that series again and again, just because the family dynamic involved was so interesting to me. I've moved twice since my last reading and can't find a few of them, so I haven't read them in a while, but I wish I could hear more about what happened at the end of Nafai's and Elemak's conflict, how did they die? The end of book 4 was more of an epilogue than and ending. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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I really, sincerely wish Dan Simmons had stopped after the second book of the Hyperion series.
Posts: 3354 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: I have the opposite reaction. When I finish a beloved series, it makes me want to go out and read more. There are so many great series that I haven't even started yet!
OK, mph is full of crap.
Instead of diving into another book right now, I prefer to sit around thinking about the series that I just finished and chat about it with others.
Although after a few days contemplation, I think I'll dive back into something.
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I find myself re-reading books a lot, just because there's always this hesitation when I start a new series.
I remember ending the Ender series (The first one.)
Or the Firekeeper saga... Oh, so sad.
Jedi Apprentice (I used to be *really* into that)
So. With Harry Potter, I've spent my remainding time trying to find out more about J.K. Rowling. I even woke up before noon today to watch her on the today show.
Posts: 438 | Registered: May 2006
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OK. i didnt want to start a new thread for this since there are so many already. I just finished reading the last book and i was amazed at myself. I actually shed somewhat of a tear twice while reading this book, though i was quick to wipe my eyes even though i was alone reading.
First when Mrs. Weasley took over fighting against Bellatrix and declared that no more of her family would ever be hurt by her. Second i shed a small tear when Harry displayed such a great fathering love towards Albus when he assured him about which house he might get into.
I personally agree that there shouldn't be any more stories that follow this one. the wizard-encyclopedia is a good idea though. I think that this was a great final story and part of the happiness i have with it is that everyone can live out their lives without fear of Mr. Tom Riddle.
Posts: 813 | Registered: Nov 1999
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quote:Originally posted by krynn: I think that this was a great final story and part of the happiness i have with it is that everyone can live out their lives without fear of Mr. Tom Riddle.
Until little Albus goes over to the dark side, of course. Mwahahaha!
Posts: 3852 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I generally have the sit and mope attitude after I finish a series, but this time I decided to go out and read more, so I bought the His Dark Materials trilogy and the five books of The Dark is Rising. And I want to start reading some Neil Gaiman books. So I'm good for a little while, and have other things to look forward to.
As for what should have ended before too long...
I could have stood to let SG1 end after Season 8. It was cool to see O'Neill in a leadership role, and I would have missed some of the cool episodes in 9 and 10, but considering how it went and ended, I could have stood to not have it happen. I'm mixed on whether I would have missed Vala or not. She's hilarious, and her chemistry with the rest of the team I thought really worked (after some trial and error). I might have even been okay with it ending at Season 7 when RDH left the show as a regular. There weren't that many S8 episodes that I'm super attached to.
Buffy I stopped watching during the season with Glory. I thought it just got way too out there and too far away from what I loved about the early years. I liked some of the episodes from later seasons, and "Once More With Feeling" was great, but it was a different show by then.
The Matrix shouldn't have gone past the first movie.
The Land Before Time should have stopped around 10 or so. I mean, I enjoyed the Great Longneck Migration and all, but the one about the Tinysauruses? Just going too far.
The New Jedi Order books should've been cut in half. Too much time spent killing off good guys and causing chaos before they got to the recovery, which was almost ridiculously short considering how much they were losing by. They dragged it out too much.
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