Series that go on and on and...

[goat major]

So i'm currently on book 12 of the Horus Heresy series. Only another 7 to go to get up to date. Its a long slog but the books are surprisingly good considering its 40k fluff.

Whats the longest series of books that you've stuck with and finished ? did you ever get to the point where it was painful but you felt it was your duty to finish ?

[Hertsblue]

The 20 books of Patrick O'Brian's "Aubrey and Maturin" Napoleonic naval series, from Master and Commander through to Blue at the Mizzen. Brilliant, every one.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series (now 39 books I believe). Some are better than others, but all make me chuckle. 

[FierceKitty]

The 20 books of Patrick O'Brian's "Aubrey and Maturin" Napoleonic naval series, from Master and Commander through to Blue at the Mizzen. Brilliant, every one.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series (now 39 books I believe). Some are better than others, but all make me chuckle. 

Doesn't count. There are really only about three books in the series once you've struck out what he plagiarised from Adams, Allen, Waugh, Beachcomber, Monty Python, Twain....

[Techno]

Which three ?
Have to agree with you FK....I DO enjoy the Pratchett books LOTS....But they do seem to be somewhat 'derivative'.....If that makes sense ?
But are there any truly original 'plots' and ideas nowadays ?
Cheers - Phil

[Matt J]

I see the Horus Heresy stuff as a bit of guilty pleasure I just wish Dan Abnett was contracted to write them all as there is a big difference in standard with some of the other authors.

Most frustrating series is George R R Martins - well written books but the releases are just so painfully slow I have to reread the whole series again each time to remember what the hell is going on.

[FierceKitty]

Which three ?
Have to agree with you FK....I DO enjoy the Pratchett books LOTS....But they do seem to be somewhat 'derivative'.....If that makes sense ?
But are there any truly original 'plots' and ideas nowadays ?
Cheers - Phil

I don't quarrel with that. The Douglas Adams line was flexible enough to wrap around fantasy, and Shakespeare himself swiped half his stories too. But Pratchet lifts things unchanged from many other sources, and often screws them up along the way. It was funny when Mark Twan said "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated". When the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork thinks it is important to insure that stories of his death are greatly exaggerated, and so shows himself after being wounded, we have a case of clumsy and parasitic copying.
   Culture thrives on imitation. Cancerous growths are another matter.

[Luddite]

I gave up on Horus Heresy after Mechanicum.  Really looked forwards to that one and it was dire...

Pratchett i suppose, but i ditched them after Pyramids (awful).  Did read Guards! Guards! though and that was good.

Other than that, not much really.  A few core trilogies like Lord of the Rings (actually one book originally but split by the publishers), Stephen Lawhead's 'Silver Hand' novels...um...Dune.

Personally i prefer books that are complete, rather than those that sprawl across may tomes.  Either that or a 'series' that gravitates around a common theme or setting.

I'm currently reading Cherie Priest's 'clockwork century' novels (just finished Dreadnaught, just started Ganymede).  I highly reccommend them. 

[goat major]

I gave up on Horus Heresy after Mechanicum.  Really looked forwards to that one and it was dire...

its actually one of my favourites so far..... the main disappointment being that for 98% of the book i thought we were going to get through a novel without any space marines..... but clearly they couldnt bring themselves to do it

[Techno]

I don't quarrel with that. The Douglas Adams line was flexible enough to wrap around fantasy, and Shakespeare himself swiped half his stories too. But Pratchet lifts things unchanged from many other sources, and often screws them up along the way. It was funny when Mark Twan said "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated". When the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork thinks it is important to insure that stories of his death are greatly exaggerated, and so shows himself after being wounded, we have a case of clumsy and parasitic copying.
   Culture thrives on imitation. Cancerous growths are another matter.

Yep !.....Adams was a 'Gennious'....You're right.... TP does lift a lot of his ideas almost verbatim from mythology or other (ahem) 'sources'....Still enjoy the way the characters themselves develop through the series though.
Cheers - Phil.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Neal Asher's Cormac series, loved it all, but then I realised it was 6 books I'd read in 8 months and I couldn't remember what happened when. Spatterjay was easier!
Trudi Canavan's Archmage series, you have to wait until 1/2 way through book three before ANYTHING gets going...
A Game of Thrones is starting to get long, but I am enjoying them, glad I missed the 5 year hiatus though!

[goat major]

I see the Horus Heresy stuff as a bit of guilty pleasure I just wish Dan Abnett was contracted to write them all as there is a big difference in standard with some of the other authors.

yes i agree, though i think overall the series is much less hit and miss than with other Black Library stuff (usual formula: Page 1, set the scene. Page 2, Space Marines/IG start firing. Page 399 Space Marines/IG stop firing. Page 400, Postscript - Space Marine/IG hero looks forward wistfully to the next time he can start firing again)

[Luddite]

I'm surprised the Potter boy hasn't made an appearance...   

[lentulus]

I'm surprised the Potter boy hasn't made an appearance...   

I read them as long as my kids did - then happily stopped.

I enjoyed the early parts of Stirling's "Dies the Fire" series; but I am getting to the point where I will not be very sorry when it ends.  I am not quite to the point I was with Turtledove where I just packed it in, and will not start another.

[AndyT]

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I stopped reading at Book 10 and I'd probably have to start from the beginning to remember what has happened. Jordan has died but more books in the series keep appearing.

[Fenton]

Anything to do with Hammer Slammers in  my opinion , Drake should have given up on the idea before he actually wrote anything down