Musing Monday..."Con Te Partirò"

---

 

 It's Monday and which question should we answer from Should Be Reading...

---

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.

• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!

• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!

• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

---

What does the title of this post say? Well, it is the name of a song that is translated into English as Time To Say Goodbye. And that is what I want to take about. The issue is, when should an author say goodbye to a series?

Now I like series, and my favorite genre, mysteries, thriller, suspense and police procedurals..which in my mind are all part of one Big Genre...has many, many series. You create a great character, a great cop or a great detective and a good setting and you are off to the races. But if the series is a success and people are buying the books, publishers and authors are making money and fans are happy, is it possible at some point to call it quits? My answer would be, not only is it possible, but sometimes it is necessary, both for the reader and for the author.

The reason this issue came to mind was an article in the Wall Street Journal a couple of days ago called How To Kill A Vampire (Series). I hope that link works..one was locked except to subscribers only but this seemed OK, because I though it was an interesting article..
But bottom line, it seems that after 13 books, and inspiring the HBO show True Blood, the author Charlaine Harris has decided to end her very popular Sookie Stackhouse vampire series.
To say the least, fans are not happy.
She has received thousands and thousands of negative posts and e-mails, there are people who have threatened to kill themselves if she ends the series.
She has received death threats.
Really.

Ok, can we all say some people needs to get a life.
Some people need to get a grip on reality.
Some people are just a little too vested.
Folks, it is only a book.
If you don't like the series ending, just make up your own and pretend that is how the book ended.
Because this stuff is all made up..it is all pretend.

This from someone who LOVES books.

Personally, I admire Ms. Harris's decision. She said she was getting bored, wanted to do some other things. Another series, a project with another author, are in the works. And she felt the whole thing was getting out of hand, having to deal with too many new characters and creatures to keep it fresh. Blow them all up I say!! A massive explosion of vampires and werepeople and shape-shifters! Or they could all be sucked into a Black Hole, never ever to reappear. Woo Hoo!!

I am sure it is not easy.
First, let's just be practical. I am sure these books made her a great deal of money, more as the series became more popular and she could easily dragged it out for book after books. There is certainly no guarantee she will be able to have such success again.

But I am a great believer that almost every series has some sort of natural life. Then it should die. To be replaced, by the talented author I have liked all along, by a fresh, new idea, fresh, new characters, fresh, new stories and fresh, new situations. Or honestly, you are most likely going to lose me as a reader anyhoo. Because I, as a reader, seem to have a limit. I am not sure there is a magic number but I think at about 10 books you should be giving it some serious thought.

I am sure all of us can think of an author or two that we once loved but who lost us when the series just went on long after the great ideas ended. Patricia Cornwell and her Dr. Kay Scarpetta series is one that comes to mind. I checked Wikipedia..seems there are 21 books in the series including a new one this year.
Yes, I loved the first few. They were well written, different, great plots, good books..and then things went quickly downhill. 7 or 8 would have been a great place to stop Patricia.
Really.

Do you have a favorite series that comes to mind, one that should soon, or long ago, died?
Or do you have one that you love and hopes goes on forever and ever..and you think I am just full of hot air?
I am pretty sure I am right! At some point it is just Time To Say Goodbye.

---

Now, if you like, you can hear Bocelli and Sarah Brightman sing it.

---