I know I do! What
this the “Sequel Syndrome” you might
ask? Let me elaborate a bit on
that.
The “Sequel Syndrome” is what I call when I really love a
first book in a series, but I cannot bring myself to keep reading the
series. I’m trying to shed some light to
my weird behavior, but I think it’s a combination of two things: first, I loved
the leading book so much that I’m afraid of disappointment; second, if I do love
the sequel, now I have to wait (in most cases) a whole year for the next book.
In the case of a trilogy, this is an excruciating long wait for a faithful
reader.
This seems to happen to me the most, the more anticipated
the sequel is or the more I love the first book. It doesn't always happen though; I pre-ordered
all the Harry Potter books after I got caught with the series. There
are series I cannot wait to finish and I devour the books in no time.
You know that feeling
that you MUST get a book right now or
burst? I’m at the book store on the day
of publication or I pre-order them, and I’m so happy when I hold the precious
book in my hands…only to sit on my bookshelves. For a while. I do own a lot of the sequels and
sometimes I wait for the whole series to be published before I even start so I
don’t have to wait for the next installment.
Some examples of books that I’m dying to read and I haven’t
(yet):
- Insurgent by Veronica Roth
- Hallowed and Boundless by Cynthia Hand
- Morganville Vampires – stopped at book #8
- Wings of the Wicked and Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton
- City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
- Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
For the most part I own a good number of these! This is also the main reason that I created
my own personal ‘challenge’ (Finish the Series), because I need
to get cracking on these!
Do you suffer from this ailment? Do you think I'm crazy? Do you wait for all the books in a series to
be published before you read it? Do you
prefer to read stand-alone books? Do you
read a sequel as soon as it comes out?
Nope, when I'm into it, I have to keep going, which makes the waiting just as awful. I actually suffer some something different, but just as irritating - finish the series compulsion. Even if I hate it, I usually keep going and read the rest, just so I know what happens. I'm a glutton for punishment :)
ReplyDeleteI usually don't keep going if I don't love were the story is taking me...
DeleteI'm right there with you! Hence why I haven't read Asunder, Scarlet, Through the Ever Night, Unravel Me, and countless others.
ReplyDeleteI knew I couldn't be the only one!
DeleteIt really depends on the book. Sometimes, the first one was SO good, I'm afraid that the second one is going to disappoint (since most of the books suffer from a second-syndrome too). Sometimes, I just keep reading and reading (like Harry Potter) because I need to devour it all. It's so hard when you have to wait a whole year for the next installment. Torture!
ReplyDeleteMel@thedailyprophecy.
Torture indeed! Welcome to the club! I agree with you on the second book syndrome, I hate it when it turns out to be a "filler" book. :(
DeleteIt's not that I wait for the series to end, it's more that I just get ENTICED by all the OTHER PRETTIES I own or recieve so those books I've been WAITING a year or more for just sort of... sit on the bookshelf. If I've already waited a year, I can wait a little longer, can't I?
ReplyDeleteGreat post! :)
I agree with you as we'll, my biggest issue with the long wait, besides the wait itself, is that I forget a lot details about the previous book (and I hardly ever have time to re-read anymore)
DeleteTotally understand! My problem though is that I get so busy reading new books, often the first in new series, that I never seem to have time to read the sequels! Not to mention that since I'm usually getting the first ones for free as egalleys or ARCs, I am often too poor to buy the sequels.
ReplyDeleteWhen that happens to me I try to get it from the library, although then I end with a mismatch set of books.
DeleteI know exactly what you are talking about! I can't even tell you how many sequels I have pre-ordered this year and not read. In fact I think the only sequel that I was super excited about and actually read was Everbound. The one I feel the most guilty about is Through the Ever Night.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had the strength to wait until all the books in a series are released but I just can't help myself!
The trick is not to start them at all until all the books are out! I can't often help myself either, but my sister does it all the time :)
DeleteI've been disappointed by sequels many many times and while I try not to let the fear of let down affect me, it's still there almost every time I pick up/think about picking up a sequel. The waiting game is not my favorite pastime either.
ReplyDeleteAnd I prefer standalones, to be perfectly honest :)
I did read Insurgent, and while it was... okay, it didn't live up to Divergent, imo. Sigh. So I totally get your hesitation with it.
The one book I'm dying to read but keep putting off is Hallowed by Cynthia Hand. I loved Unearthly and just don't want to see bad things happening to my favorite characters.
Great post!! :)
Thanks Cayce! I'll still read Insurgent, if only just to get to Alligeant :)
DeleteI have this problem as well... funny bc my friend & I were just talking about this. My brain just wanders off after book one.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why it doesn't always happens (at least to me)...
DeleteYES! I have this exact problem. I'll always freak out about having to have the sequel to this amazing book as soon as it's released, but then when I do get it - it sits on my shelf for months on end. I think it's usually more due to the fact that a year later - I'm just not as interested in the series as I once was - and it usually takes that extra push of seeing other bloggers love the same book to get me to read it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
- Tabitha @ Tabitha's Book Blog
Exactly! Thanks for stopping by :)
DeleteOMG!!!! I thought I was the only one with this problem. I almost never finish series. The whole waiting a year to get the next one sucks. In trilogies especially I kinda dread the second book. I really fear that they will just be filler. I plan on focusing on finishing and continuing series as my goal for next year.
ReplyDelete