Todays Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish is all about Series Endings...
I'm not sure if I've read enough series through to completion to give 10 responses, and many would have been so long ago that I'm not sure I can remember how good or bad they were, or why I loved/hated them. I certainly couldn't have predicted that 30 years after reading some books I would be blogging about why I thought they ended well or not. With our family history of early onset Alzheimer's I'm lucky I remember reading anything at all. Anyway... most of these are from my childhood, as I never seem to get to the end of series these days.
I'm looking forward to having a lot through other peoples TTT's.
Here's what I have:
Nora Roberts' series... So many to choose from! I've read I think nearly every trilogy/quadrilogy she has written. All end well, as you might expect. Karma wins out and every good person lives happily ever after. What's not to love?
The Chronicles of Narnia - I thoroughly enjoyed the series when I read it 30 years ago. I can't remember if I was happy with the ending or not, but I loved the series nonetheless.
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman - I only read this a few years ago, and I can't remember how I felt specifically about the ending, just that I loved loved loved the books.
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Worst/Best? - Ermmmm, bit of both really. Brilliant series, somewhat satisfying end to the revolution, I actually think some of it was absolute genius, but the way that Katniss was left at the end left me a little disappointed.
Thursday Next by Jasper Fforde - The Woman who died a lot was meant to be the book that ended it, but the best ending was there is another book due! So I guess it doesn't truly qualify, but like I said, I don't have many choices.
The Famous Five, The Faraway Tree, Mallory Towers, St Clare's etc etc... by Enid Blyton. I loved these books, and while I didn't want them to end, and can't remember how they ended, I have very fond memories of them.
The Sweet Valley High series (ghostwritten) by Francine Pascal. I think this qualifies as WORST... at the time I enjoyed them though would probably hate them now. I think I brand them worst because they just never seem to end. I could go on and on and on, but won't.
Harry Potter... how could I forget?!?!?! - fabulous ending!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Hunger Games. I was not satisfied with the ending at all. I haven't heard of Enid Blyton. I'll have to check her out for my kids. Thanks. Great list.
ReplyDeleteEnid Blyton is great, but I would borrow from the library before you buy. They were written decades ago and are very dated. Noddy, The Faraway Tree, The Wishing Chair etc... are meant for very young children, Famous Five and the others I mention would probably suit under 10's. They are very much a part of my childhood reading memories. Very innocent and charming, full of adventures with picnics and ginger beer.
DeleteI've heard good things about the Jasper Fforde Thursday Next series. I will definitely have to read the first book and then not read any of the others (my big issue when it comes to series).
ReplyDeleteThe first book in the TN series is great, but the problem is that so many people read the first book and don't go onto the rest, which is such a shame as the follow on books are even better... with the possible exception of book 6. I sincerely hope you enjoy The Eyre Affair and decide not to stop there.
DeleteLOL on SVH. I loved them though, I agree, I don't know how and where that ended...
ReplyDeleteMy Best & Worst
I had a look on Wikipedia and all in the series in various incarnations went on for around 20 years (showing my age now). There were over 150 books in total, several long running spin off series and a TV show! Unbelievable.
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