Book one, book two, book three...
Obviously, series books are meant to be read in order. You start with book one, proceed to book two (or wait around, biting at your nails and climbing up the walls until book two is released), and on you go, until the series ends.
That's usually the way it works.
Sometimes, though, I've found myself starting with the last book, and working
my way backwards. The only other time I remember doing this was in 2008, right when Breaking Dawn came out. In my way of thinking, I'd read some of BD, decide whether or not the premise sounded interesting, and *then* I'd start at the beginning of the series. Well, 100 pages in, I was like "who ARE all these characters? So confused!" and that was that.
With the Chaos Walking series, it was actually the last book, Monsters of Men, that first caught my attention. My cousin and I were just sitting around, talking about books, and she brought up this really cool dystopian series she was reading - the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness (and she's the one who coined the phrase, "It makes Hunger Games look like 'Sesame Street").
Then she dropped the biggest, baddest spoiler ever. She basically blurted out the ending, then was like, "do you BELIEVE that? that's not closure!"
So yeah, pretty much when I went into The Knife of Never Letting Go and was first introduced to Todd Hewitt, New World, and all the psychotic freakwads who populate it, I knew what was going to happen on the very last pages of Monsters of Men, the finale.
Has that ever happened to any of you guys? And if so, have you still been able to plug along through a story, even knowing how it was going to end?
With Monsters of Men, I may know what happens on the last page or two, but I don't know what happens to get to that point. So that, for me, is what this reading journey will be about. Getting up to that point.
(and just sayin,' I totally got her back, Mockingjay-style: "Yeah, that whole business with Prim sure sucked, amiright?")
Obviously, series books are meant to be read in order. You start with book one, proceed to book two (or wait around, biting at your nails and climbing up the walls until book two is released), and on you go, until the series ends.
That's usually the way it works.
Sometimes, though, I've found myself starting with the last book, and working
my way backwards. The only other time I remember doing this was in 2008, right when Breaking Dawn came out. In my way of thinking, I'd read some of BD, decide whether or not the premise sounded interesting, and *then* I'd start at the beginning of the series. Well, 100 pages in, I was like "who ARE all these characters? So confused!" and that was that.
With the Chaos Walking series, it was actually the last book, Monsters of Men, that first caught my attention. My cousin and I were just sitting around, talking about books, and she brought up this really cool dystopian series she was reading - the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness (and she's the one who coined the phrase, "It makes Hunger Games look like 'Sesame Street").
Then she dropped the biggest, baddest spoiler ever. She basically blurted out the ending, then was like, "do you BELIEVE that? that's not closure!"
So yeah, pretty much when I went into The Knife of Never Letting Go and was first introduced to Todd Hewitt, New World, and all the psychotic freakwads who populate it, I knew what was going to happen on the very last pages of Monsters of Men, the finale.
Has that ever happened to any of you guys? And if so, have you still been able to plug along through a story, even knowing how it was going to end?
With Monsters of Men, I may know what happens on the last page or two, but I don't know what happens to get to that point. So that, for me, is what this reading journey will be about. Getting up to that point.
(and just sayin,' I totally got her back, Mockingjay-style: "Yeah, that whole business with Prim sure sucked, amiright?")
8 shout-outs!:
How can you start a series backwards? I totally can't do that! I haven't read The Knife of Never Letting Go, bit I had to say that I picked it up at the store and chose to pick another book. But I'm interested in the series! I wish I had a close cousin that read. Way to get back at her! Haha.
I hate it when things are spoiled but it sometimes happens. I'll be interested in a series of books and if I make the mistake of looking at the description of book two, it gives away something about book one, etc.
I imagine that for future generations, certain series will be spoiled like Harry Potter for example. How many kids will find out about the major deaths before they even read book one thanks to popular culture and all the people who've already read the series? It would be like knowing that Darth Vader is Luke's dad before watching the Star Wars saga. Hopefully even with spoilers they will still choose to give books a try like you did!
I just reread my review of Monsters of Men today. Weird timing. I thoroughly enjoyed the series. I wish more people would read it.
Ooooh, what a bummer! Did you still end up reading the whole Chaos Walking series? It's easily my favorite complete series of all time!
PS: I finally read/reviewed Tyger, Tyger - per your recommendations :) For some reason whenever I think of that book, I think of the glowing reviews at Imagination in Focus, so I just had to let you know!
Oh my gosh yes, I LOVE the Chaos Walking series (Ask and the Answer made me kinda mad, lol, but I still loved it!)
And thank you so much for your sweet words about my TYGER review!! I really appreciate it, and as soon as I get my computer I'll have to go find your review!!
I do that all the time. It's awful, though, because you're all confused at the beginning. But..-shrug-
Monsters of Men...I'll keep that in mind. It sounds great!
C:
I've never started a series backward and infact yelled at my friend for doing this
yup spoilers they happen online a lot with my manga but then I'm just excited to see when it happens
This is my biggest pet peeve! I think I'd still want to read it anyway, but my goodness - the horror! Haha.
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