Comments on: What is a fantasy trilogy?

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 22:39:00 +0000

But Barbara, what do you call the ones where the story desn’t end, but continues – like Hill Street Blues?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 03:49:00 +0000

I've been reading this thread with interest, but the only way I can think of the difference between trilogies and series is by comparing them to tv shows and movies.

A standalone book is a movie.

A trilogy is a mini-series.

A series is just that: the same core characters in each book but with a different story each week.

Yes, it's a simplistic view but I prefer not to complicate my reading pleasures with over-analysis and deep-thinking - I leave that to my own writing.

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 01:41:00 +0000

That’s a good point, eyeris. I must admit I hadn’t given any thought to problems of a reviewer – but you are right, of course. How on earth do you review a middle/last book without saying something about the one(s) before?

By: eyeris

eyeris — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 05:14:00 +0000

I'm a bit late into this thread, but I just wanted to add something.

Strictly from a readers POV, I don't really care if the book is a trilogy or not. Sometimes a book that is only one book ends in such a satisfactory and nice manner that you don't want further books to embellish that feeling.

OTHER books, like Gaiman's Neverwhere and Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books, make you wish there were more books in the series because you want to find out more about that world, and you want to read more about those characters.

One thing I love about Hobb's books (before the current Soldier Son trilogy) is that she made the Assassin, Liveship Traders and Farseer trilogies seem like one TRILOGY of TRILOGIES, and thus the whole series (despite being set in the same world and involving the same characters) did not seem as though Hobb was losing the plot, like Jordan does in WOT. PLUS she manages to wrap everything up nicely in the end.

HOWEVER, from a REVIEWER'S point of viewer, and one who regularly reviews fantasy series', I can tell you it's a HEADACHE reviewing trilogies.

REviewing the first is easy enough, but when the second and third ones come out, it gets really hard to review the book WITHOUT revealing any spoilers.

So, I'm always stuck wondering whether I should review the second book individually, or just bloody wait for the third book a year later and review them as a TRILOGY instead. HEHE.

By: ink paw prints

ink paw prints — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 01:26:00 +0000

she said I’d have to get hold of a writer’s handbook and check out the individual publishers >.

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 16:31:00 +0000

Ink PP – I’d be interested to know what she says…

By: ink paw prints

ink paw prints — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 04:45:00 +0000

thank you very much I spell colour with a “u”! ;p I’m from England. I’ve emailed one of my tutors asking if she knows what the market is like here, but she hasn’t replied yet. I have a tutorial with her on tuesday, so maybe I’ll find out then 🙂

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 16:49:00 +0000

Works for me, Sk!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 03:22:00 +0000

I've been thinking about this and what keeps coming back to me is my scriptwriting stuff from uni, which I think might be a better way to clarify this and get to the heart of what this is all about.

There are three key types and they are based on what the authors intention and conception is, not what or how they are finally published.

The Stand Alone
A single novel set in a world that is never revisited.
Example: Guy Gavriel Kay. Tigana.

The Series
Two or more novels (duology, trilogy, quartet etc) that are set in the same world. The stories may not be sequential and are usually not continous.
Example: Terry Pratchett. Discworld.

The Serial
Two or more sequential and continuous novels/stories that are set in the same world.
Example: Sara Douglass. The axis Trilogy.

Sk.

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 19:30:00 +0000

Fantasy readers like to be immersed. Everyone else seems to do ok with one book at a time…