Thoughtful Thursday is an opportunity to discuss things book and blog related. It might be an issue that has been mentioned in the media, or something about people's reading or blogging habits.
Awaiting the end of a series
As I was writing the most recent Great Authors post (on JK Rowling) I started thinking about the good things and the bad things about reading a series of books. The best thing about it for me is definitely the fact that the story is so more involved than a standalone novel, in the sense that it goes on for a significantly longer period of time. You get to spend more time with the characters and often this means you fall in love with them that little bit more.
I was thinking about my favourite series; Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings... and then I thought about The Clan of the Cave Bear or Earth's Children series by Jean M Auel.
Has anyone else read this series?
It is an immense saga set in prehistoric times, as Cro-Magnon man is coming into their own and neanderthals are dying out. Ayla is a Cro-Magnon, or an Other, but is raised by the neanderthals, or The Clan, after she is found by them as a young girl. The series documents her life, her trials and tribulations.
There are 5 books in the series. The first was published in 1980 and the last in 2002. The final book of the series hasn't even been written yet!!! That is 22 years it has taken to not even complete a series.
Call me crazy, but this seems excessive. Here is my quandary. I love this series. I think it is wonderful. I have to admit that each book is a little bit worse than the one that precedes it, until the fifth book The Shelters of Stone is bordering on just plain boring. But because I have fallen in love with Ayla, I need to finish the series - but am I going to have to wait another 8 years?
I find this extremely frustrating.
Is there anyone else out there that is a fan of the Clan of the Cave Bear series that is finding this as frustrating as I am? Are there any other series that you know of, or are a fan of that have not yet been completed?
Originally posted 18 March 2010 Page Turners
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