Miker:
t> there's a danger to writing a series. its convenient
for
> both writer, publisher, and even reader sometimes.
but the
> same-ole same-ole becomes bland.
Miker, or maybe I should write miker,
With very few exceptions, a series is going to have at least
one continuing character so there is going to be something
that is the same throughout, but that shouldn't affect the
quality of the series if a writer is skillful enough. there
will not be similar passages or plots book to book, but
that's difficult. A lot of what was written in the first one
or two books caused people to want to continue reading the
books. It's like pop singers having to sing at least a medley
of their greatest hits at every concert even if they are sick
of them.
I think George Pelecanos has written here, or elsewhere, that
he has to stop having all his books' climaxes be a shootout
between the some of main characters and the baddies. George's
books have enough to offer so you can overlook that. Variety
just for the sake of having variety is pointless BTW, I agree
with you about the Travis McGee novels having similar plots,
but I think this bothered me most because I read them one
after another instead of having a long break between them.
.
>
> do the books in a series generally get better later
in the
> series, or worse? i'm betting worse. beating a dead
horse
> is not inspirational. i've heard parker's stuff gets
worse,
> but i've heard that block's best scudder is towards
the end.
I think in general I think a normal series' best books are
the first one or few The author has said what he wants to in
those but continues to churn out new books in series because
there is a built in market for succeeding books with
publishers as well as the public. . Of course, there are a
lot of exceptions. For example, I think George's first, A
Firing Offense was built on his life experiences, but as he
he has expanded his scope and learned to become a better
writer his books have improved. I think the last two of the
Washington quartet are the best of his I have read. I'm in
the middle of Nick's Trip so I can't judge that series yet.
Mark
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