| Saturday, May 26, 2007 |
| Serial Offender: Guilty As Charged |
 I find comfort in reading books that are a part of a series. It can be like visiting old friends, returning to the familiarity of the characters and setting. I enjoy seeing the growth of characters over time, however subtle it may be sometimes. Besides, the series books look nice lined up on a shelf.
At the beginning of 2006, I set a goal to catch up on the many series and trilogy books I had begun reading. By this time last year, I knew I was in over my head, and I simplified my goal to catch up with as many as I could. I had hoped to continue with the goal this year, however, with my enthusiasm to participate in the various reading challenges that have popped up, that idea went out the window fairly quickly. Kailana at Kailana's Written World and Marg from Reading Adventures posted lists of the series they are reading, ones they are caught up in as well as those they are still working their way through.
I created two series' lists as a way to help me track my progress in catching up with my series reading, which I update periodically (it's the list lover in me, what can I say?). I decided to go ahead and post the lists to my blog although I can't imagine they will be very interesting to anyone but me.
I keep two lists: one is of the series/trilogies in which I have already started reading; and the second is a list of the series/trilogies I own at least one or two books in (or have on loan from my parents in the case of the Rollins' books) but have yet to begin reading. Some of the series' books can be read as stand alones, however I count them as series because they have continuing characters and often personal story lines that carry over from one book to the other. I have not included the series that I no longer read. I am sure too that there are some I have forgotten to include. I will add them as I discover them. Because the lists are rather long, I will be posting them in two parts.
Series I Have Already Begun (the series listed in purple are ones I am caught up with)
- Acevedo, Mario- Felix Gomez, Vampire P.I. Mystery Series (up to X-Rated Blood Suckers)
- Armstrong, Kelley – Women of the Otherworld Series (up to No Humans Involved)
- Barr, Nevada - Anna Pigeon, a park ranger at various national parks in the USA (up to A Superior Death)
- Billingham, Mark - Tom Thorne, detective inspector series, London, England (have read Lifeless)
- Bishop, Anne – Black Jewels Trilogy (fantasy)
- Boldin, Brenda M – Alex Masters Mystery Series (up to Jailbird)
- Bradley, Marion Zimmer – Avalon Series (up to The Fall of Atlantis)
- Brown, Dan – Robert Langdon (Religious Symbolist) Supsense/Thriller Series (up to The Solomon Key)
- Butcher, Jim – Harry Dresden, the only wizard listed in yellow pages in Chicago, Illinois (up to White Night)
- Canavan, Trudi – The Black Magician Trilogy
- Clark, Carol Higgins – Regan Reilly (P.I.) Mystery Series (up to Fleeced)
- Clemmons, James – Banned and the Banished Fantasy Series (up to Wit'ch Storm)
- Crais, Robert – Elvis Cole Mystery Series (up to Stalking the Angel)
- Connelly, Michael – Harry Bosch (LAPD Detective) Suspense/Thriller Series (up to The Concrete Blonde)
- Davidson, Mary Janice – The Undead Series (up to Undead and Uneasy)
- Donaldson, Stephen R. – The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever (up to The Illearth War)
- Doyle, Arthur Conan – Sherlock Holmes (read The Hound of the Baskervilles)
- Dublin, D.H. - Madison Cross, a former star medical student with the Crime Scenes Unit, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (have read Blood Poison)
- Evanovich, Janet – Stephanie Plum (Bounty Hunter) Mystery Series (up to Book 14)
- Fairstein, Linda – Alexandra Cooper (Prosecutor) Mystery/Suspense Series (up through Killer Heat)
- Fforde, Jasper – Thursday Next Mystery Series (up to Lost in a Good Book)
- Gleason, Colleen – Gardella Vampire Chronicles (up to Rises The Night)
- Grafton, Sue – Kinsey Milhoune (P.I.) Mystery Series (Up to T is for Trespass)
- Grippando, James – Jack Swyteck (Miami Defense Attorney) Suspense/Thriller Series (have read Got the Look)
- Hamilton, Laurell K. – Anita Blake Vampire Slayer Mystery Series (up to The Harlequin)
- Harris, Charlaine – Southern Vampire Series (up to All Together Dead)
- Harris, Charlaine – Lily Bard, Housecleaner in Arkansas, Mystery Series (up to Shakespeare's Champion)
- Holdstock, Robert - Mythago Wood Cycle (up to Lavondyss)
- Indridason, Arnaldur - Erlendur Sveinsson, a detective inspector, and his colleagues Sigurdur Oli and Elinborg, in Reykjavik, Iceland (up to Voices)
- Jance, J.A. – J.P. Beaumont (Seattle Homicide Detective) Mystery Series(up to Justice Denied)
- Jance, J.A. – Joanna Brady (Sheriff) Mystery Series (up to Dead Wrong)
- James, P.D. – Adam Dalgliesh (Chief Inspector) Mystery Series (up to Unnatural Causes)
- Kalian, Cady – Maggie Mars, a struggling screenwriter and former investigative journalist, in Los Angeles, California (read up through A Few Good Murders)
- Karon, Jan – Mitford Series (up to These High, Green Hills)
- Kellerman, Faye – Rina Lazarus and Peter Decker Mystery Series (up to Milk and Honey
- Kellerman, Jonathan – Alex Delaware (psychologist) Suspense/Thriller Series (up to Obsession)
- Kerley, Jack – Detectives Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus in Mobile, Alabama (read through A Garden of Vipers)
- Kinsella, Sophie - Shopaholic Series (up to Shopaholic and Sister)
- Lackey, Mercedes – Valdemar Series (Fantasy)
- Lindsay, Jeff - Dexter Morgan is a blood spatter technician for Miami PD.(up to Dexter in the Dark)
- LeGuin, Ursula K. - Earthsea Series (up to The Tombs of Atuan)
- Lippman, Laura - Tess Monaghan, private investigator in Baltimore, Maryland (have read By A Spider's Thread)
- Martinez, Michele – Melanie Vargas Supsense/Thriller Series (up to Cover-Up)
- Matturro, Claire – Lillian Belle Rose Cleary, eco-conscious lawyer in Sarasota, Florida (have read Bone Valley)
- Montanari, Richard – Kevin Byrne, a detective, and his new partner, Jessica Balzano, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (up through Merciless)
- Olson, Karen E. - Annie Seymour, a police reporter in New Haven, Connecticut (up to Shot Girl)
- Paolini, Christopher – Inheritance Trilogy (up to Eldest)
- Paretsky, Sara – V.I. Warshawski (P.I.) Mystery Series (up to Deadlock)
- Patterson, James – Alex Cross (Homicide Detective) Suspense/Thriller Series (up to Pop Goes the Weasel)
- Perry, Anne –- Inspector Thomas Pitt and Charlotte Pitt Mystery Series (up to Traitor’s Gate)
- Preston, Douglas & Lincoln Child – Suspense/Thriller Series (have read Relic, Reliquary, The Cabinet of Curiosities)
- Rand, E.J. - A Reluctant Sleuth Mystery (up to Perfect Cover)
- Rees, Matt Beynon - Omar Yussef, schoolteacher in a Palestinian refugee camp, Mystery Series (have read A Grave in Gaza)
- Rice, Anne – The Vampire Chronicles (up to The Queen of the Damned)
- Robinson, Peter – Dan Banks, Eastvale detective chief inspector, in Yorkshire, England (read Friend of the Devil)
- Rose, M.J. – Dr. Snow, a Sex Therapist in the Butterfield Institute in New Your City (up to The Venus Fix)
- Rowling, J.K. – Harry Potter Fantasy Series
- Rucka, Greg - Atticus Kodiak, a bodyguard in New York City (up through Patriot Acts)
- Rucka, Greg – Queen and Country Series
- Sansom, Ian – A Mobile Library Mystery (up to Mr. Dixon Disappears)
- Santlofer, Jonathan – Kate McKinnon, a former NYPD cop who now has a PH.D in Art History (have read Color Blind)
- Santlofer, Jonathan – Nate Rodriguez, a sketch artist for the NYPD (have read The Murder Notebook)
- Sayer, Dorothy L. – Lord Peter Wimsey, a pianist, book collector, and criminologist, in London, England (have read Clouds of Witness)
- Scarborough, Elizabeth Ann – Godmother Fantasy Series (up to The Godmother's Web)
- Silva, Daniel – Gabriel Allon Suspense/Thriller Series (have read The Messenger)
- Simon, Clea – Theda Krakow, a cat-loving, freelance writer in Cambridge, Massachusetts Mystery Series (up through Cries and Whiskers)
- Slater, Susan – Ben Pecos Mystery Series (up to Yellow Lies)
- Smith, Alexander McCall – Mma Romotswe (P.I.) (up to The Good Husband of Zebra Drive)
- Tracy, P.J. – Grace MacBride, founder of a game software company in Minneapolis
- Vaughn, Carrie – Kitty the Werewolf Paranormal Series (up to Kitty Takes a Holiday)
- Willems, RG - Shelby James, Veterinarian Assistant in Saskatoon, Mystery Series (have read 1st book in series)
- Wright, Edward - John Ray Horn, a former B-movie cowboy star and ex-con turned debt-collector, in 1940s Los Angeles, California Mystery Series (have read Red Sky Lament)
(updated 05/01/2008)Labels: Archive, Series |
posted by Literary Feline @ 5/26/2007 10:47:00 AM   |
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| 18 Comments: |
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Well, here is one reader who is interested in your lists! :)
I like reading series literature too - I've read Diana Gibaldan's wonderful series (except for the last book), and I've read Rosalind Miles Geunevere series, as well as Phillippa Gregory's Wideacre series AND Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles. Series on my shelf I haven't read yet include Mahfouz's Three novels of Ancient Egypt and The Cairo Trilogy, as well as Kevin Baker's City of Fire Trilogy. And now you know why I've thought of hosting a series reading challenge :)
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I've got a few faves on that list! Jim Butcher, Jasper Fforde, Daniel Silva, Sophie Kinsella (although I'm behind you on that one.) I gave up on the Sue Grafton books around M - they just started to feel very dated. Possibly because she made the choice to keep Kinsey in a realistic time frame, unlike say, Robert B Parker's Spenser novels, but it trapped her. Is she still doing that?
Must check out Carrie Vaughn.
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Wow! I loved reading your list! There are many new authors and ideas for me. Thanks for posting it. :)
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That's quite a list! I am trying to not start any new series and I keep accidently picking up books that would result in me doing just that.
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I didn't include Dan Brown, but I should have! And also I didnt realise that the Kevin Baker books were a trilogy! I have read the first one. I really, really want to read Mahfouz and also Dunnett! One of these days! Looking forward to the next list!
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Wow! I'm amazed you are working on completing so many series! I've done Harry Potter, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, and am working on Stephanie Plum but had no idea there were so many series out there ... hmmmm ... (TBR pile grows before my eyes)
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Wendy - I'm so glad to see some interest! The temptation to read Diana's series just hasn't hit me yet. I've heard good things about it, especially her first book. I haven't heard of the others you mentioned . . . Uh oh. More series to possibly add to the ol' wish list.
Carrie K - Yes! All good authors with great series. :-) I heard Sue Grafton speak at the LA Times Festival of Books on year and she said that the time period the books are set in is done on purpose. She wants Kinsey to do things the "old fashioned" way, make her work without the computer and cell phone, which would make things too easy for her.
I know there are a lot of paranormal series out there now that their popularity has grown so considerably, but Carrie Vaughn's is one of my favorites. I do hope you will check it out.
Joy - You all are making me glad I decided to post the list!
Kailana - Wait until you see tomorrow's list. All the series I have started collecting but have yet to read . . . I'm almost afraid to admit to it.
Marg - Thanks, Marg! Dan's books can definitely be read as stand alone's but with the continuing character, his books count as a series by my definition.
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Laura - It' definitely an ongoing process. LOL I could probably just read series books the rest of my life and never run out of reading material, but I do like reading stand alones quite a bit too. My reading can't all be series reading.
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Ypu missed another series if you love books - John Dunning who writes books about a cop turned rare bookseller and still solves crimes. So far there are 5 books in the series.
Sign of the Book, Booked to Die, The Bookman's Promise, The Bookman's Wake and The Bookwomen's Last Fling.
John Dunning's website
http://www.oldalgonquin.com/home.php
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I admire your organization! I have recently realized that I like to read series of books. I don't read the quantity of books that you do (by a long shot), but the ones I have read (and look forward to the next ones) are: Mitford series with Fr. Tim, Cara Black mysteries, James Lee Burke series with Det. Robicheaux (waiting for the most recent). I see some on your list that I want to try. I have about 8 - 10 books right not on my TBR list and time is short these days.
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Historia - Thanks for the recommendation! I've actually got three of Dunnings' series books in my TBR collection waiting to be read. I just haven't gotten around to reading him yet. :-)
Violetlady - When it comes to my books, I excel at organization. LOL I haven't read too far into the Mitford series yet, but I found the two books I have read to be very pleasant and comforting. Cara Black is on my yet to read list, although I have about three of her books in my TBR collection. I haven't tried anything by James Lee Burke. I'll have to look him up. Thanks for the tip!
I do know what you mean about time being short. I feel like I haven't had much time to read at all. Maybe today . . .
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Oh shoot - I forgot...I also have read most of the Mitford series (I think I missed the last two). I enjoyed it - it is a relatively light, upbeat group of books. I have a feeling there are other series I've read, by my over 40 year old mind is forgetting them :)
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Wow, quite a few of your series are either on my shelves, my TBA list or I'm already in the middle of reading myself...
You have some series I want to check out as well. I think I might bookmark/copy your list for future reference, if it's okay with you?
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Kathrin - Your mention of the series challenge was good timing, wasn't it? I don't mind at all if bookmark/copy the list if you want. Thanks for asking. :-)
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What do you think of the Charlaine Harris Southern vampire series? I've had book number one in my hands several times and have put it back on the shelf (apparently I have moments of sanity where I realize that I have too many books already).
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Charlaine Harris is one of my favorite series authors. I adore her Southern Vampire series. The books keep getting better and better. Well, except for one in the middle, which I enjoyed, but it wasn't my favorite.
I know what you mean about those moments of sanity. I have far too many books already that I need to read and I don't need anymore, but there's always that one or two that I just have to add to the pile. Thanks for stopping by!
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I love JP Beaumont...I like it so much, I couldn't get into Brady series after that.
I have actually read a few of this series, I must be a serial offender myself.
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J.P. Beaumont is my favorite too, Midas. It took a while before I got into the Joanna Brady series, but I've come to enjoy that one too. I still prefer Beaumont though. :-)
I really need to set time aside to update these lists . . .
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Well, here is one reader who is interested in your lists! :)
I like reading series literature too - I've read Diana Gibaldan's wonderful series (except for the last book), and I've read Rosalind Miles Geunevere series, as well as Phillippa Gregory's Wideacre series AND Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles. Series on my shelf I haven't read yet include Mahfouz's Three novels of Ancient Egypt and The Cairo Trilogy, as well as Kevin Baker's City of Fire Trilogy. And now you know why I've thought of hosting a series reading challenge :)