Do you read books of a series in chronological order?

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 19 Apr 2014, 20:04

Sometimes it's necessarily to read books in order but I don't always do this. For example, the John Sandford "Prey" series (crime thrillers featuring Lucas Davenport are quite numerous and I've simply not read some of the earlier novels in the series.

My own mystery novels (very modest, the first 2 novels in publication, the 3rd in progress) are a series (I'm writing modern American private detective books) but I took pains to make each novel stand alone, too. That way, a reader can start with novel #2 and will be okay.

I think it's incumbent on a writer to at least try to make each book in a series stand alone, but it's not always possible, as per the LOTR series.

KC Osborne · Post by **KC Osborne** » 19 Apr 2014, 20:34

Lovely_Ink wrote:I usually get caught up in serial books by accident and out of order. If I find an interesting book that is part of a series I will read it and then go back to the beginning of the series to get caught up to where I am.

This happens to me. I get bored and people hand me books. I'm not going to be picky at that point, but if I liked the book I will go track down the rest of them (in order if possible).

lanielep · Post by **lanielep** » 19 Apr 2014, 21:21

I try to, sometimes I pick up a book by a new author and realize later it's part of a series, then of course I have to read all the earlier ones.

The one exception is JDRobbs in death series. I'll read whatever I can get my hands on. Love that series

njaco01 · Post by **njaco01** » 19 Apr 2014, 21:30

I must!

booklover77 · Post by **booklover77** » 20 Apr 2014, 01:05

Absolutly I have to read them in order. I started a series from the 9th book
and had no clue it was a series just something I picked up when I decided to try a new author.
I have read them from 9 on but never read the previous 8 since 9 ruined the rest for me. Now
I always make sure it is not a series!

kio · Post by **kio** » 20 Apr 2014, 01:10

I try to, but it doesn't always happen.

Uthar902 · Post by **Uthar902** » 20 Apr 2014, 03:00

Always, what would be the use in reading them not in order. The author had an idea in writing a series. So you should also follow his order haha

Inishowen_Cailin · Post by **Inishowen_Cailin** » 20 Apr 2014, 15:01

I have to read the books in order and if I'm enjoying it I won't read anything else until I've read all the published books in the series. I go online and double check the reading order before I read the next title.

Symphy_ · Post by **Symphy_** » 20 Apr 2014, 15:37

I have to read the books of a series in chronological order. I feel like i can't read them if they are not in order. I also don't like to read a series if its not complete.

Book-obsessed · Post by **Book-obsessed** » 23 Apr 2014, 18:41

I hate to read books out of order, I don't like to get spoilers and usually that's what happens to me

TrishaAnn92 · Post by **TrishaAnn92** » 23 Apr 2014, 21:59

Like everybody else I have to read them in order! One time I read a book that was part of a series I stopped read in the book, bought all the other books and read the book from the first one on. It about made me crazy!

readerromance2003 · Post by **readerromance2003** » 23 Apr 2014, 22:34

Reading can sometimes be confusing when it comes to a series because at times it is not stated right away that the book you have picked up is part of a series. For example, I picked up Dark Fire by Christine Feehan first. I read the book end to end and then afterword's looked online for more of her books and realized that it was the sixth book of the series. So I went out and found Dark Prince and started from the beginning and read the ones I had not read in order and then reread Dark Fire.
Since that incident I have learned to look into the authors and the books I want to read before I chose one because I have found reading from the fist to the most recent helps with following whose who and what's what.

cgrice · Post by **cgrice** » 24 Apr 2014, 02:36

Yes, otherwise I feel lost.

amfrancis · Post by **amfrancis** » 24 Apr 2014, 12:02

I have to. I hate the feeling of being lost. It drives me insane if I try to start from a book in the middle of a series and try to work backwards.

AnaF · Post by **AnaF** » 24 Apr 2014, 16:58

It depends on the series. To understand some of them you actually have to read them in chronological order but with others it doesn't really matter, especially if you're taking about mystery/crime series.