In F&SF, I find that I really need to read the entire series in order. The books in the series either don't stand on their own or have too many references that aren't explained. I will not read a Fantasy or Science Fiction series out of order.
In historical mystery series (my passion for the past few years), I find that series do not have to be read in order. It is usually best to read the first book first, but as long as you don't skip too many books, it's not necessary to read every book in order. And there are a few historical mystery series where I've started with the second or even third novel.
But definitely, the publishers would get more money from me if all the books were in print... because if I liked one book, I'll probably buy the rest.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2004-08-13 03:13 pm (UTC)In historical mystery series (my passion for the past few years), I find that series do not have to be read in order. It is usually best to read the first book first, but as long as you don't skip too many books, it's not necessary to read every book in order. And there are a few historical mystery series where I've started with the second or even third novel.
But definitely, the publishers would get more money from me if all the books were in print... because if I liked one book, I'll probably buy the rest.