Adding shorter works to a series
Konrad Gaertner
more pages, the more time I can spend with the characters and setting.
So there I am, five chapters into the second novel of a series I like,
with characters I like, and just as I'm getting interested in the new
conflict, I find unambiguous evidence that I missed something
important. Checking the author's website, I find that there's a
novella set between the novels. Now, I'm not saying authors shouldn't
write shorter works, but I don't care for them (they always leave me
unsatisfied), and libraries are less likely to carry anthologies than
novels, so if an author does write one, it should be optional. (And
in this particular case, I don't see how any story worth writing about
the protagonist could also optional.)
And worse, this seems to be the hot new trend in urban fantasy. I'm
not going to read any more books by MaryJanice Davidson, since she
has already done it twice (introducing new characters to the series
both times). Charlaine Harris has done it once (that I know of), but
that wasn't too bad (I was more upset by Sookie having an ability
that doesn't appear in the novels). Jim Butcher also seems to have
done it, but that at least fits my idea of "optional" (which is good,
since the anthology won't be published until several months after the
novel that mentioned the events).
Why are they doing this? Sure, this may help sales of the
anthologies, but if those sales are poor, it's probably because of
people like me who prefer novels, and punishing us for that is more
likely to cause us to stop buying the novels too.
--
Konrad Gaertner - - - - - - - - - - - - - - email: gae...@aol.com
http://kgbooklog.livejournal.com/
"I don't mind hidden depths but I insist that there be a surface."
-- James Nicoll
Mike Schilling
"Konrad Gaertner" <kgae...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:44C4347B...@worldnet.att.net...
>I like big, thick novels. Even better, I like series of novels. The
> more pages, the more time I can spend with the characters and setting.
>
> So there I am, five chapters into the second novel of a series I like,
> with characters I like, and just as I'm getting interested in the new
> conflict, I find unambiguous evidence that I missed something
> important. Checking the author's website, I find that there's a
> novella set between the novels. Now, I'm not saying authors shouldn't
> write shorter works, but I don't care for them (they always leave me
> unsatisfied), and libraries are less likely to carry anthologies than
> novels, so if an author does write one, it should be optional. (And
> in this particular case, I don't see how any story worth writing about
> the protagonist could also optional.)
Bujold has done this, (none of the shorter works in _Borders of Infinity_
are optional, though the framing story is.) Poul Anderson did it in spades
in the Flandry series, which (AFAICT) mixes novels and shot stories with
wild abandon.
ncw...@hotmail.com
Not really. The first Flandry stories (as in first written) were short
stories, because they were easier to sell to the pulps in the 1950s.
As the SF market matured, it became easier to sell novels, and so the
later Flandry stories were novels. In any case, The Flandry stories
(and indeed the whole Technic/Terran Empire stories) were not planned
as a series in the smae way that, say George R.R. Martin. has for his
Song of Ice and Fire. Anderson created a background and a set of
characters and used them to tell semi-independant stories.
Cheers,
Nigel.
Sea Wasp
I'll tolerate it from the original author. However, one thing that
PEEVES me is when the author starts allowing other people to write in
his universe AND MAKES THE SHARECROPPED STUFF IMPORTANT TO THE MAIN
BOOKS.
I don't mind the sharecropping, but (for example) I'm interested in
following Honor Harrington's career; having other people write stuff
that changes the universe sufficiently that not having read them
leaves me confused when I go pick up the next real book in the series
is very annoying. Let the sharecroppers write side stories that don't
affect the plotline-at-large.
--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/seawasp/
Konrad Gaertner
>
> Mike Schilling wrote:
> > "Konrad Gaertner" <kgae...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
> > news:44C4347B...@worldnet.att.net...
> >
> >>write shorter works, but I don't care for them (they always leave me
> >>unsatisfied), and libraries are less likely to carry anthologies than
> >>novels, so if an author does write one, it should be optional. (And
> >>in this particular case, I don't see how any story worth writing about
> >>the protagonist could also optional.)
> >
> >
> > Bujold has done this, (none of the shorter works in _Borders of Infinity_
> > are optional, though the framing story is.)
>
> PEEVES me is when the author starts allowing other people to write in
> his universe AND MAKES THE SHARECROPPED STUFF IMPORTANT TO THE MAIN
> BOOKS.
Right. I wouldn't mind BoI much, since it's a collection of stories
by a single author in a single series and therefore almost a novel.
But I forgot mention earlier that I really don't like authors who
are not only trying to make me spend more money, but spend money on
other authors I don't even like.
Mike Schilling
> Sea Wasp wrote:
>>
>> Mike Schilling wrote:
>> > "Konrad Gaertner" <kgae...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
>> > news:44C4347B...@worldnet.att.net...
>> >
>> >> Now, I'm not saying authors shouldn't
>> >>write shorter works, but I don't care for them (they always leave me
>> >>unsatisfied), and libraries are less likely to carry anthologies than
>> >>novels, so if an author does write one, it should be optional. (And
>> >>in this particular case, I don't see how any story worth writing about
>> >>the protagonist could also optional.)
>> >
>> >
>> > Bujold has done this, (none of the shorter works in _Borders of
>> > Infinity_
>> > are optional, though the framing story is.)
>>
>> I'll tolerate it from the original author. However, one thing
>> that
>> PEEVES me is when the author starts allowing other people to write in
>> his universe AND MAKES THE SHARECROPPED STUFF IMPORTANT TO THE MAIN
>> BOOKS.
>
> Right. I wouldn't mind BoI much, since it's a collection of stories
> by a single author in a single series and therefore almost a novel.
> But I forgot mention earlier that I really don't like authors who
> are not only trying to make me spend more money, but spend money on
> other authors I don't even like.
Bujold again, I'm afraid, as "Winterfair Gifts" appeared in a multi-author
anthology 90% (conservatively) of her fans would never have considered
purchasing.
Dave Roy
<kgae...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Why are they doing this? Sure, this may help sales of the
>anthologies, but if those sales are poor, it's probably because of
>people like me who prefer novels, and punishing us for that is more
>likely to cause us to stop buying the novels too.
Kage Baker does this, mixing her short stories and the novels. But I
think she includes the important short stories in her novels.
"Children of the Company," for example, was basically a number of the
important stories tied up into a novel with an overarching plot.
Dave
Matt Hughes
Konrad Gaertner wrote:
> So there I am, five chapters into the second novel of a series I like,
> with characters I like, and just as I'm getting interested in the new
> conflict, I find unambiguous evidence that I missed something
> important. Checking the author's website, I find that there's a
> novella set between the novels.
That seems inappropriate. I'm trying not to write linear series -- I'm
doing something more in the vein of showing a universe from the
perspectives of different pov characters. Still, the characters do
develop as the stories unwind, either as novels or as novelettes in
F&SF. But it would be wrong to place some crucial development in a
novella that appeared only as a chapbook or in a story that ran in some
anthology, and not cover it in the backstory of the next novel.
Matt Hughes
http://www.archonate.com/
BSP: MAJESTRUM, the first Henghis Hapthorn novel, will be out from
Night Shade Books in October
Randy Money
Just as a ... well, not quite counter-point, but maybe a view between
45- and 90-degrees difference: I love short stories and if there's
anything that might drag me into one of those damned interminable series
of cement-block thick novels that meander pointlessly for years while
forsaking certain story-telling virtues like, well, you know, a
conclusion, it would be a concise well-executed short story or series of
same set in the same world, with or without the main characters of the
novels.
It's not a given -- loved the stories I read in Peter Beagle's _Giant
Bones_ but still haven't read _The Innkeeper's Daughter_ (think that's
the right title) -- but it might work.
Randy M.
Randy Money
> Konrad Gaertner wrote:
>
>
>>So there I am, five chapters into the second novel of a series I like,
>>with characters I like, and just as I'm getting interested in the new
>>conflict, I find unambiguous evidence that I missed something
>>important. Checking the author's website, I find that there's a
>>novella set between the novels.
>
>
> That seems inappropriate. I'm trying not to write linear series -- I'm
> doing something more in the vein of showing a universe from the
> perspectives of different pov characters.
STOP IT! JUST STOP IT! I don't have time to read you as well as ...
> Still, the characters do
> develop as the stories unwind, either as novels or as novelettes in
> F&SF. But it would be wrong to place some crucial development in a
> novella that appeared only as a chapbook or in a story that ran in some
> anthology, and not cover it in the backstory of the next novel.
>
> Matt Hughes
> http://www.archonate.com/
>
> BSP: MAJESTRUM, the first Henghis Hapthorn novel, will be out from
> Night Shade Books in October
>
... Oh, all right! Somewhere, sometime soon I'll shoehorn _The Gist
Hunter ..._ in.
Randy M.
Justin Alexander
> > Right. I wouldn't mind BoI much, since it's a collection of stories
> > by a single author in a single series and therefore almost a novel.
> > But I forgot mention earlier that I really don't like authors who
> > are not only trying to make me spend more money, but spend money on
> > other authors I don't even like.
>
> Bujold again, I'm afraid, as "Winterfair Gifts" appeared in a multi-author
> anthology 90% (conservatively) of her fans would never have considered
> purchasing.
That was, however, a story in which Miles was only a supporting
character. It has also had, at least to date, zero impact on the
novels. (Of course, no novels have been published in the series since
the short story was published. So that's a little disingenuous. <g>)
--
Justin Alexander
http://www.thealexandrian.net
David McMillan
So, how about the way Flint does it in the 163? series? Admittedly,
Flint seems to be exerting more control over the broad thrust of events,
but he's certainly letting the sharecroppers (including fanfic writers)
fill in important cracks that *do* end up becoming important to the main
plotline.
Sea Wasp
I don't know, I haven't read past 1633. I've had FAR less time to
read than I used to; the last new books I read ("new" in the sense of
"I hadn't read this before") were Terry Brooks' second and third
"Knight of the Word" books. Which were both excellent; I was leery of
reading them in some sense because I'd really enjoyed the first one
but wasn't sure if the same atmosphere could be extended through two
more books, and I was REALLY afraid of the ending of #3. Which
actually worked for me, despite some of my known proclivities.
Taki Kogoma
allegedly declared to rec.arts.sf.written...
> I don't mind the sharecropping, but (for example) I'm interested in
>following Honor Harrington's career; having other people write stuff
>that changes the universe sufficiently that not having read them
>leaves me confused when I go pick up the next real book in the series
>is very annoying. Let the sharecroppers write side stories that don't
>affect the plotline-at-large.
So you're particularly annoyed with Eric Flint ("From The Highlands",
_Crown of Slaves_) for having such an impact on HH9 and 10?
--
Capt. Gym Z. Quirk (Known to some as Taki Kogoma) quirk @ swcp.com
Just an article detector on the Information Supercollider.
Sea Wasp
> On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:15:25 GMT, Sea Wasp <seawasp...@obvioussgeinc.com>
> allegedly declared to rec.arts.sf.written...
>
>> I don't mind the sharecropping, but (for example) I'm interested in
>>following Honor Harrington's career; having other people write stuff
>>that changes the universe sufficiently that not having read them
>>leaves me confused when I go pick up the next real book in the series
>>is very annoying. Let the sharecroppers write side stories that don't
>>affect the plotline-at-large.
>
>
> So you're particularly annoyed with Eric Flint ("From The Highlands",
> _Crown of Slaves_) for having such an impact on HH9 and 10?
>
Is that where "Manpower" came from? Yes.
Not that my displeasure matters to Eric or David in the least, as
it's obvious that I'm in the minority.
John Fairhurst
>
>"Konrad Gaertner" <kgae...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
>news:44D27398...@worldnet.att.net...
>> Sea Wasp wrote:
>>>
>>> Mike Schilling wrote:
>>> > "Konrad Gaertner" <kgae...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
>>> > news:44C4347B...@worldnet.att.net...
>>> >
>>> >> Now, I'm not saying authors shouldn't
>>> >>write shorter works, but I don't care for them (they always leave me
>>> >>unsatisfied), and libraries are less likely to carry anthologies than
>>> >>novels, so if an author does write one, it should be optional. (And
>>> >>in this particular case, I don't see how any story worth writing about
>>> >>the protagonist could also optional.)
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Bujold has done this, (none of the shorter works in _Borders of
>>> > Infinity_
>>> > are optional, though the framing story is.)
>
>anthology 90% (conservatively) of her fans would never have considered
>purchasing.
>
>
I don't really find them necessary to the continuity of the rest of the series
- except perhaps 'Labyrinth', which explains where Taura came from and gives a
handle for the catastrophe in _Memory_.
They're very nice to have, including 'WInterfair Gifts', whose fellow stories
I certainly wouldn't have bought without the presence of WG but I don't
find I don't really mind that having read them.
--
John Fairhurst
jo...@johnsbooks.co.uk
http://www.johnsbooks.co.uk/
Justin Alexander
John Fairhurst wrote:
> In article <iDuAg.2124$9T3....@newssvr25.news.prodigy.net>, "Mike Schilling" <mscotts...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>> > Bujold has done this, (none of the shorter works in _Borders of
> >>> > Infinity_ are optional, though the framing story is.)
> >
> >Bujold again, I'm afraid, as "Winterfair Gifts" appeared in a multi-author
> >anthology 90% (conservatively) of her fans would never have considered
> >purchasing.
>
> I don't really find them necessary to the continuity of the rest of the series
> - except perhaps 'Labyrinth', which explains where Taura came from and gives a
> handle for the catastrophe in _Memory_.
Depending on what you mean, exactly, be "necessary" and "optional", I
would consider all three stories in BORDERS OF INFINITY to be necessary
ones.
The continuity of "The Mountains of Mourning" crop up again in at least
a couple novels, including MEMORY, as an important formative experience
for Miles. "Labyrinth", as you note, introduces Taura. And "Borders of
Infinity" feeds into BROTHERS IN ARMS, while the climax is, again,
recurrent thorughout the series for its effect on Miles' character.
Now, that being said, Bujold is pretty excellent about making sure that
every single novel she writes is a complete entity in and of itself.
There are inevitably books in the series which grow *richer* as a
result of your familiarity with the series as a whole, but Bujold is
almost unique in her ability to produce a series with more than a dozen
volumes in which every single book can be a reader's first without any
significant problem.
There was a time when I felt a couple of novels were exceptions to this
(MEMORY and A CIVIL CAMPAIGN), but I've seen more than enough people
testify that they started the series with those and had no problem
doing so that I've been convinced of Bujold's general excellence in
this regard.
Gene Ward Smith
Konrad Gaertner wrote:
> Why are they doing this? Sure, this may help sales of the
> anthologies, but if those sales are poor, it's probably because of
> people like me who prefer novels, and punishing us for that is more
> likely to cause us to stop buying the novels too.
Publishers like them because it allows an established author to
introduce less well-known authors. I just read the most recent Eve
Dallas, which is a novella packaged with three others, none by anyone
I've heard of.
Walter Bushell
"Justin Alexander" <jus...@thealexandrian.net> wrote:
> There was a time when I felt a couple of novels were exceptions to this
> (MEMORY and A CIVIL CAMPAIGN), but I've seen more than enough people
> testify that they started the series with those and had no problem
> doing so that I've been convinced of Bujold's general excellence in
> this regard.
Not to mention that if you start at the end, your reading of the earlier
books is enriched by the knowledge of what Miles will become. And other
plot points such as what Kyril island is.
--
"The power of the Executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any
charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgement of his
peers, is in the highest degree odious and is the foundation of all totali-
tarian government whether Nazi or Communist." -- W. Churchill, Nov 21, 1943