Personally, I am an avid reader. I read for pleasure to lose myself in the written word. I read a wide variety of genres, but when I browse my favourite ebook bookstore, I always find myself looking for new series to read, not just the ‘one off’/stand-alone books.
I think this is probably because if there are a series of books, it gives the author more of a chance to explore the characters. Plus, it gives the reader a chance to really get to know the characters and discover more about them as the series goes on. It also allows for a more comprehensive world-building as well as an opportunity for more complex plot lines that pan throughout the several books as well as shorter plot lines that are confined to only one book – in a way giving you more ‘bang for your buck’.
Some series that I particularly enjoyed were ‘A Song of Fire and Ice’ by George R.R. Martin; the first novel which I read on my kindle is called A Game of Thrones ebook. Another series that may be ideal for those who are interested in paranormal stories and/or fantasy books, and which I also bought online, is the Mr Midnight ebook series. Whilst it is promoted as a collection of children’s horror stories, I feel that it could be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
However, some people are of the opinion that series are essentially a way for the authors and publishing houses to acquire more money from their audiences by dragging out plot lines over numerous books. They therefore create books that are fundamentally left unfinished simply in order to write a sequel.
Whilst I am all for series, I do sometimes feel like I want only to read a stand-alone book. Stand-alone books are indeed ideal for people who do not have a lot of time for reading, and who wish to start and finish a story within a reasonable amount of time. I mean, how long did it take for us to finish the Harry Potter books!? Sometimes I just like it when storylines are ‘wrapped up’ in a single book. Though I am also quite a fan of so-called ‘in between books’, which are books that are usually stand-alone but can also be twinned together with other books, in the sense that they have parallel timelines or matching characters etc.
So I wonder, what are your favourite types of books to read?