Serial Reading by Steven

I'm a reader. I try to read every day. Every time I finish a novel that has grabbed me, I wish that it would continue. That I could stay in the world that it has created in my mind. Magically, that happens with series or serial novels. I can revisit familiar characters over a span of time and new things keep happening. The following, in no particular order, are a few that I have plunged happily into.

 

·        Robert B. Parker's western series starts with the book “Appaloosa” featuring lawman for hire Virgil Cole and his deputy Everett Hitch. Parker is known for his series with the Boston Private Detective Spenser, Private Detective Sunny Randall and Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone, all set in contemporary times. These western novels are a terse modern take on the traditional genre, filled with beautifully spare dialog.

·        John D. McDonald's series features Travis McGee, Salvage Consultant. If someone has been robbed and there is no legal recourse, he'll try to get back whatever has been stolen, for a fifty percent fee. This series was written in the sixties and seventies and is amazingly prescient as to the environment, consumer culture, greedy development, and what it means to be honorably human. 

·        F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack novels, starting with “The Tomb”, are a unique combination of science fiction, horror, and crime.

Stephen King's Dark Tower series, beginning with “The Gunslinger” is now up to 8 volumes. King has written a complete fantasy world incorporating the past, present and a possible dark future when things run down. 

 ·        Dean Koontz's novels about Odd Thomas, a fry cook in the Southern California town of Pico Mundo, are suspense filled and humorous at the same time.

There are many more that I haven't mentioned, or been introduced to, in every genre imaginable. One of my pleasures in reading is discovering a new author with and established series. There is a handy link from our website at http://library.stillwater.org to find out the order of books in almost any series. Just scroll to the bottom of our main page and click on “What's the next book in this series?” under FAQs.  The link will take you to the “What’s Next” database where you can enter an author’s name, series or individual book to get started on exploring a series for yourself.