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Do you read books in a series consecutively or take breaks?

Do you read books in a series consecutively or take breaks?

  • I read them straight through.

    Votes: 11 26.8%

  • I read something else in between each volume and come back when in a mood for more.

    Votes: 16 39.0%

  • I take a break after feeling like I am overdosing.

    Votes: 14 34.1%
  • Total voters
    41
S

shadow9d9

New Member
I am wondering. Do most people here read an entire series in order or do you read other books in between volumes?
 
The series I am currently reading is very long. Each book is some 700 pages or so long. I read other novels between each book in the series. I have always done it that way...don't ask me why. :rolleyes:
 
I've never read any series straight through, except maybe the Narnia series. The most I might do is read two in a row.
 
Sometimes I am forced to take a break between books because I am reading them as an author comes out with them, but either way, I read other stuff or else I will OD.
 
I take breaks for two reasons:

1.) If there are very few books in a series I don't want to read them all and have to wait for more to come out.

2.) If I think I've read too many books and am getting tired of the series. I used to read straight through, but now I think change is a good thing.
 
I read trilogies only when I get all three books on my shelves, then I go at it all at once. I only start books on a series with a mind to take a break if there are too many books in a series. That said, I have read consecutive books in a series many times already though:

- Jordan's Wheel of Time - 7 consecutive books - that was the latest at that time
- Eddings Belgariad - all five
- Lois McMaster Bujold
- LOTR - uhm... there is no other way of reading this chap
and many others...

ds
 
I absolutely hate to have to read between series books. I NEVER do it unless the author hasn't published the rest yet or if the book is on hold at the library. Right now, I am reading four series at once, but I take each series and read them through, such as...

Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan (not the same guy; alternative personality)--12 books (12th's on hold at library)
Demonata series by Darren Shan (Two out now, third comes out in Nov.)
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schrieber--3 books (read two, third on hold)
Sandman by Neil Gaiman (library doesn't have these. A disgrace...)
Anita Blake by Laurell K. Hamilton--14 books (all done. read them consecutively. maybe more are coming.)
Harry Potter by WHO ELSE?--7 books (c'mon 7 i'm waiting for you...)
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket--13 books (Thirteenth came out today!!)

More, but I'm tired of typing, and by the time you guys reach this, you'll be tired of reading my babble too. :D
 
Doesn't reading 4 series at once constitutes reading between series books? Unless, of course, there are four of you reading concurrently...

ds
 
I find I have to take a break between books or else I start getting tired of them and I can't appreciate them for what they really are. I enjoy them more when I make myself read a few books inbetween and I'm so excited to go back to the series that I overlook their faults.:)
 
I usually run from anything in a series:eek: but one day far in the future I'd like to read Trollope from Barchester Towers all the way through, what 45 or so novels? I read the first Barchester Towers, The Warden, several years ago and it was, surprisingly, rich and interesting with unforgettable characters.
 
I would love to read everything straight and I hate when it's impossible. Like Robin Hobb's Tawny Men-trilogy. I just can't read the third book because I can't remember what happened in the second book. That's why I would love to own those books first.
 
I shy away from series for the most part but I've gotten into a few and I always have to read other books in between.
 
It really depends on the series. If it's short series like Pullman's Amber Spyglass books, I might read them all in a row. Otherwise, it depends on my interest level.

I usually read more than one book at a time anyways, so I can skip between a series book and whatever else I'm reading if my interest lags.

I like series that have a fixed end and don't go on forever. I really dislike it when the author carries on and on, runs out of ideas and everything peters out to a sad, drab shadow of the original books in the series.
 
I'm a shameless series junkie.. I think I'm in the middle of about 5 or so right now...so, of course, I switch them around, mostly based on what's due back at the library soonest, or in some cases I'm waiting for the next one to get here.
One thing I cannot do is read them out of order, though... and usually I try not to be reading multi series in the same genre. I remember a complete burnout a few years ago when I was reading the Necroscope series by Lumley as well as Rice's "Vampire Chronicles", right along with Card's Alvin Maker series and Goodkind's "Sword of Truth".
Needless to say, I had to stop and read standalones for a while.
 
I don't like reading series out of order either. Even if the sequels are practically self-contained and have detailed references as to what happened beforehand, I prefer to keep track of what order the books go in. I love when people say things like "I started with this book and decided to read the other ones before it". Any reason why you didn't do that beforehand? :confused:

Granted, I did start reading the Discworld novels out of order. Not my fault the library didn't have all the books ;).
 
Reading a series out of order is of the Dark Side, for sure. There are a few exceptions I guess. If I'd read If Ever I Return Pretty Peggy-O by Sharyn Mcrumb first, I might have skipped the rest of the Ballad series..which would have been a shame. Fortunately, the way they're written, it is easy for the reader to come up to speed on who is who.
 
I chose the third option-I read an author until I'm sick of him/her and the ncome back to 'em when I'm ready.
 
It is hard to get a whole series without some of it going out of print. The hard sci-fi seems to get a smaller space on the shelves and a shorter life each year. Sometimes you only see them for a few months as paperbacks. I can't hold on to them for several years before reading them. Every year I wait for one of the dozen or so series I am in the middle of.

If you ask me where each series ended or the characters I could not tell you but a dozen pages into the book and I am right back into it.

I can't re-read books either. As soon as I've read the first chapter, I seem to remember enough details of the plot to make it too boring to continue. I also read several book concurrently.
 
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