Tracking series... how do you do it, how many and how many at once?
12-23-15, 08:07 AM
#1
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Tracking series... how do you do it, how many and how many at once?
Maybe it is just the books I'm buying but it seems like everything is a series these days w/ few stand alone stories. Whenever possible I like go through them in succession just so I can keep the story straight in my head. Especially if they are written as sequels, unlike say the 87th Precinct novels which I've been collecting/working through that build on previous stories but is not meant as a single continuing story. I was just wondering though what techniques people use to keep a story line going for them as they switch between different books, especially if you read a lot of the same genre. I try to leave notes for myself in Calibre (what I use to organize my "library") but that doesn't always work out.
WRT how many at once I have a book I'm listening to on my kindle as I drive using the text to voice feature. I have another book I listen to on an MP3 player when I work out. I have a 3rd book on another MP3 player that I listen to at other times when I want some background noise. I find as long as the genres are pretty distinct I don't have much of a problem of getting back into the story. The one time I started a second Sci-Fi book on the kindle while listen to one on the MP3 work out player didn't work out so well
As far as which series I'm in the middle of....
- 87th Precinct: up to book 8 out of about 50. I try to do one of these every other time on my Kindle
- Anno Zombus: Pick them up when I can find them cheap/free. Story started to lose me there in the middle but Aug wasn't too bad according to my rating.
- Arisen: Really enjoying this series so far. Gets a little over the top sometimes but that's all part of the fun.
- CSI Reilly Steel: Been an interesting mystery/police procedural series so far.
- Dark Space: I think I'm about to give up on. I really enjoyed the initial trilogy, but the last couple of books have been more "transhuman" type stories that don't really interest me. There was something wrong w/ book 5 on the kindle too that it kept losing my place and restarting.
- Frontlines: Great Sci-Fi/Military series from Kloos.
- Hawk & Moor, History of D&D: Only about 2 books in so far but it is interesting to hear the story behind the game.
- Perseid Collapse: My current workout fodder. About 1/2 way through right now. Almost didn't like it at the start since I "disagreed" w/ some of the things the main character did, but I think I understand now where the author is going w/ the development.
- Righteous: Another staple of my workout series. To be honest I don't even recall how I got onto this series. It is an ok mystery series focusing on the Mormons.
- Wool: I've only read the first one so far but I have the next two is the Silo series. Just need to get around too them.
- Star Carrier: Read the first 3 a LONG time ago and enjoyed them, just haven't gotten back to it again....
- The Union: Another great Sci-Fi/Military series, this one from Richards... or am I getting that confused w/ Frontlines
That's the majority of the ones I'm actively "tracking". There's a few more I have read only the first book of but want to go back and finish at some point; the Area 51 series and follow ons from Mayer leading the pack. There's some where I have them all but haven't even gotten around to starting yet; I picked up all the 007 books and a good chunk of the Dresden Files books on sale a couple of years back but haven't started any of them.
A couple that I have finished and would recommend if you are looking for something are;
Battle for the Solar System: It's been awhile but based on my ratings I enjoyed it.
Black Stiletto - A "superhero" story set in the 50s/60s.
Dragon King Trilogy - Fantasy (not "high fantasy" though aside from a little magic) series from Lawhead.
Ender Quintet - Frankly it started to drag a bit in the middle but I really enjoyed the last book.
Foreworld Saga - Good consistent story across all the books despite all the different authors involved. Haven't read (not really interested in) the fan fiction/kindle "words" stories though.
Jack Daniels Thrillers - Fun "mystery" series. I guess there are still some cross over books I haven't read yet but those are low priority.
The Most Uncommon Cold - Ok zombie series, but I liked how it ended
Odyssey One - "First contact"/military style Sci-Fi series.
Post Human - Have to say I didn't really care of this series. Not sure why but this genre doesn't hold much interest for me.
Rat Bastards - WW2 series following some marines in the pacific theater. Some of the books are better than others, and the author's description of the fights (especially hand to hand) got very repetitive. Overall I enjoyed it though.
WRT how many at once I have a book I'm listening to on my kindle as I drive using the text to voice feature. I have another book I listen to on an MP3 player when I work out. I have a 3rd book on another MP3 player that I listen to at other times when I want some background noise. I find as long as the genres are pretty distinct I don't have much of a problem of getting back into the story. The one time I started a second Sci-Fi book on the kindle while listen to one on the MP3 work out player didn't work out so well
As far as which series I'm in the middle of....
- 87th Precinct: up to book 8 out of about 50. I try to do one of these every other time on my Kindle
- Anno Zombus: Pick them up when I can find them cheap/free. Story started to lose me there in the middle but Aug wasn't too bad according to my rating.
- Arisen: Really enjoying this series so far. Gets a little over the top sometimes but that's all part of the fun.
- CSI Reilly Steel: Been an interesting mystery/police procedural series so far.
- Dark Space: I think I'm about to give up on. I really enjoyed the initial trilogy, but the last couple of books have been more "transhuman" type stories that don't really interest me. There was something wrong w/ book 5 on the kindle too that it kept losing my place and restarting.
- Frontlines: Great Sci-Fi/Military series from Kloos.
- Hawk & Moor, History of D&D: Only about 2 books in so far but it is interesting to hear the story behind the game.
- Perseid Collapse: My current workout fodder. About 1/2 way through right now. Almost didn't like it at the start since I "disagreed" w/ some of the things the main character did, but I think I understand now where the author is going w/ the development.
- Righteous: Another staple of my workout series. To be honest I don't even recall how I got onto this series. It is an ok mystery series focusing on the Mormons.
- Wool: I've only read the first one so far but I have the next two is the Silo series. Just need to get around too them.
- Star Carrier: Read the first 3 a LONG time ago and enjoyed them, just haven't gotten back to it again....
- The Union: Another great Sci-Fi/Military series, this one from Richards... or am I getting that confused w/ Frontlines
That's the majority of the ones I'm actively "tracking". There's a few more I have read only the first book of but want to go back and finish at some point; the Area 51 series and follow ons from Mayer leading the pack. There's some where I have them all but haven't even gotten around to starting yet; I picked up all the 007 books and a good chunk of the Dresden Files books on sale a couple of years back but haven't started any of them.
A couple that I have finished and would recommend if you are looking for something are;
Battle for the Solar System: It's been awhile but based on my ratings I enjoyed it.
Black Stiletto - A "superhero" story set in the 50s/60s.
Dragon King Trilogy - Fantasy (not "high fantasy" though aside from a little magic) series from Lawhead.
Ender Quintet - Frankly it started to drag a bit in the middle but I really enjoyed the last book.
Foreworld Saga - Good consistent story across all the books despite all the different authors involved. Haven't read (not really interested in) the fan fiction/kindle "words" stories though.
Jack Daniels Thrillers - Fun "mystery" series. I guess there are still some cross over books I haven't read yet but those are low priority.
The Most Uncommon Cold - Ok zombie series, but I liked how it ended
Odyssey One - "First contact"/military style Sci-Fi series.
Post Human - Have to say I didn't really care of this series. Not sure why but this genre doesn't hold much interest for me.
Rat Bastards - WW2 series following some marines in the pacific theater. Some of the books are better than others, and the author's description of the fights (especially hand to hand) got very repetitive. Overall I enjoyed it though.
12-23-15, 02:21 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Tracking series... how do you do it, how many and how many at once?
I'm into older science fiction, so the series I read are typically all said and done by the time I start. The only exception would be Game of Thrones. On the rare chance I move to a new series in the middle of another one, when I go back I'll generally read a wikipedia synopsis of the book I had just finished.
12-28-15, 11:31 AM
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Re: Tracking series... how do you do it, how many and how many at once?
I am currently reading several series and since most of them have at best a once yearly entry, it is easy to stay caught up on them.
1632 Ring Of Fire series
Destroyerman series
Anything in the Honor Harrington Universe- Currently a few series there
Safehold series - REALLY enjoying them
Game of Thrones series - Really like it but the spacing of the books is a real problem for me
RCN series- by David Drake
Emberverse Series -by S M Stirling - wish this was faster between books too
Old Man's War series - John Scalzi
The Lost Fleet series - By Jack Campbell/John Hemry
The Shannara series - by Terry Brooks
I have some authors that I pretty much read anything they print. The waiting between books is painful but I have learned to live with it. My biggest issue is that I wait 1 year to 18 months for a new book and then finish it in 1 to 3 days, then have to wait another year to 18 months for another book.
1632 Ring Of Fire series
Destroyerman series
Anything in the Honor Harrington Universe- Currently a few series there
Safehold series - REALLY enjoying them
Game of Thrones series - Really like it but the spacing of the books is a real problem for me
RCN series- by David Drake
Emberverse Series -by S M Stirling - wish this was faster between books too
Old Man's War series - John Scalzi
The Lost Fleet series - By Jack Campbell/John Hemry
The Shannara series - by Terry Brooks
I have some authors that I pretty much read anything they print. The waiting between books is painful but I have learned to live with it. My biggest issue is that I wait 1 year to 18 months for a new book and then finish it in 1 to 3 days, then have to wait another year to 18 months for another book.
