Do you read books of a series in chronological order?

Bad_Wolf89 · Post by **Bad_Wolf89** » 28 Apr 2014, 13:46

Whenever I am reading a book that is in a series, I feel like I have to read them in order. It feels weird to try to read them out of order. I feel like I am missing a major part of the characters lives.

casper · Post by **casper** » 29 Apr 2014, 08:26

Definitely in order. A friend once read the last book in a series about Julius Caesar first and I really couldn't understand how she could then go back to the beginning.

kallee · Post by **kallee** » 29 Apr 2014, 08:33

Yes, a definite must for me. If I don't I don't feel like I know what is going on.

yenyole · Post by **yenyole** » 29 Apr 2014, 10:45

Absolutely! I feel like you miss out on so much if you have skipped a book in a series. I think it is silly not to read them in order.

amh_02 · Post by **amh_02** » 29 Apr 2014, 12:09

Of course! I could NEVER read a series of books out of order! The thought of it is awful! It would be like spoiling the story for yourself!

krismags · Post by **krismags** » 29 Apr 2014, 14:28

Always- if I can't find the next book, I'd rather wait or abandon the series than read it out of order. To me, it ruins the experience, as you lose some important details and scenes that are key to the story. This is especially true if you plan to go back and reread the books you skipped- there's no longer any mystery or surprise to the previously skipped book.

lovebooks10 · Post by **lovebooks10** » 29 Apr 2014, 14:59

I always read in order! I get very upset if it takes too long to get the next book, i also like to have them all from the beginning.

cherrydumas · Post by **cherrydumas** » 29 Apr 2014, 15:06

97 percent of the time I totally have to read the series in order

I even have to go to the point that I have to reread the series from book 1 whenever a new one comes out. Which becomes quite a lengthy process as some of the series have over 20 books

though...there are times that I will just pull out a book here or there if a specific book and/or character is calling to me

missmufferpuff · Post by **missmufferpuff** » 29 Apr 2014, 15:20

If I start a book series at the beginning then I can't skip a book or read them out of order, but if I find a book at the store and don't know its a series until I get it home I definitely read it. I don't think it ruins anything about the series unless its a book series like Harry Potter or something like that, but for instance the Alex Cross books by James Patterson I read those out of order all the time and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Norma_Rudolph · Post by **Norma_Rudolph** » 29 Apr 2014, 15:21

I hate it when I find a good looking book at the library that is later on in a series and the library doesn't have the first one. I makes me a little crazy. . .

rubylane869 · Post by **rubylane869** » 29 Apr 2014, 15:59

Yes I have to read them in order!!:) I accidentally read a couple of books out of order in a 12 book series...I was totally confused on a few things. Now that I have gone back & read from the beginning...including one of them that I have read before (it makes a bit more sense now)...I feel caught up.

I'm on Book 6 right now.

judysh · Post by **judysh** » 29 Apr 2014, 16:07

Yes, I tend to read books in the order intended by the author. The problem is, I sometimes forget who's who, depending on the books and the story, so sometimes I have to go back to help me remember. With single books, if they are not totally engaging, I tend to skip forward, to see how it ends - if it is interesting, I go back and continue on until the end; if it is dull, then I can tell myself I've finished the book and I can put it away or return it to the library.

dragoneyes2005 · Post by **dragoneyes2005** » 29 Apr 2014, 18:16

There have been a few series where I was introduced to it in the middle of it. As soon as I find out I went back to the beginning and started over again. It makes more sense that way. Otherwise you tend to feel like your missed something. Not a good feeling when reading.

judysh · Post by **judysh** » 29 Apr 2014, 20:41

While I said earlier that I tend to read books in the order they were written, on second thought, perhaps books should be written as complete in themselves, not just chapters in a series? Thinking about TV shows for example, even though the same characters, settings etc are on each week, a viewer can watch one show without being bewildered and confused about the plot. There are some shows that do require the viewer to have been watching them from the very first one, but I personally don't like a series that requires you to be there and not miss a show. It diminishes the enjoyment of watching TV and turns it into unpleasant work. I think the same thing is true with books - a well-written book should not leave the reader wondering who the characters are and why they are where they are, doing whatever they are doing.

Aubinelizabeth · Post by **Aubinelizabeth** » 29 Apr 2014, 21:52

I would nit be able to read a series out of order it would drive me insane if I read a book and then discovered that it was the second or third book of a series and I had never read the first. Terrible