Authors' Burn-out

[Andara Bledin]

Actually, I found that the Incarnations series worked for about five books. The last two were either tacked on and not planned, or they were horribly rushed.

^-.-^

[Nekojin]

Another one that I think deserves mention: Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series, AKA the Proton/Phaze series. The first three books (the original trilogy) was outstanding. The gamesmanship-as-societal-backbone concept was very well fleshed out, and the gaming scenes were well-scripted. The entire trilogy wraps up neatly, and while further stories set in the universe are possible, they're not needed - all of the major plot threads are tied up.

The second trilogy, taking place ~15 years later, are much, much weaker. The gamesmanship aspect is still prominent, but written with far less detail and skill, and even outright contradicts some of the rules and conventions from the first trilogy. All in all, the characters are weaker, the universe is not as well (re-)designed, and the whole thing falls flat.

Then there's the seventh book, taking place a generation after the second trilogy. This was stronger than the second trilogy, but not by much.

Of course, some of my disappointment with the latter four books was due to the fact that I love books that involve gamesmanship, and the fact that there's so much less focus and interest in writing the Game in the later books could definitely have an impact on my enjoyment.

[HYHYBT]

Actually, I found that the Incarnations series worked for about five books. The last two were either tacked on and not planned, or they were horribly rushed.

^-.-^

The Author's Note at the end of one of them says it was only supposed to be five. I liked the sixth best, though.

As for Wheel of Time... certainly whole swaths of book could be cut, but then, to me, almost all of the divergent storylines are interesting in their own right anyway, even if it does mean not always realizing right away which one is being continued at the moment.

Melanie Rawn is one I was thinking of yesterday. I remember enjoying the Dragon Prince/Star books, and then there was a series I don't know the name of that my brother recommended that I wouldn't even begin until the end was published, and from what I'd heard, the last book *was* written, but the publisher decided to sit on it forever instead of, well, PUBLISHING it. But I don't know if that's the same series mentioned upthread or not, because I don't know the name and it's been a long while.

[RedRoseSpiral]

You're brother probably is talking about Exiles. I know my fiance would love the books that are out, but I won't even tell him about the series until/if the last book comes out.

As of '09 I believe the book hadn't been written. The book I think you're talking about is Diviner which did come out with in the past year to 6 months. That was a sequel to the Golden Key which she wrote with two other authors back in the '90s I believe (might be early 2000s).

[bara]

Speaking of unsympathethic characters that never learned a damned thing; Thomas Covenant.

I was over that series by the end of book 2. >_< I was hoping he'd actually die for sure by the time I was finished with it.

^-.-^

Not the best series.
I was in Iraq and had nothing else to read.

Although... I do know the answer to your question.

PM me if you want to know.

[Gravekeeper]

As for Wheel of Time... certainly whole swaths of book could be cut, but then, to me, almost all of the divergent storylines are interesting in their own right anyway, even if it does mean not always realizing right away which one is being continued at the moment.

That's sort of its problem. It was like he had 9 different ideas for a novel, but not enough material for any of them. So he crammed all 9 ideas into a single series. But realised he didn't have enough material for more than 3 books. So he started padding everything out and stuffing it full of random distraction chapters to keep you occupied before you realise the plot isn't actually going anywhere. Let alone moving forward.

I'm not sure if its better or worse than Sara Douglas and her "Lawl, world ends, ma chars are gods now.....wait, now I'm bored. Okay, they're not Gods anymore because they got bored so they came back cus I said so." however.

Its a toss up between Jordon's creepy Mormon fantasies and Goodkind's creepy lesbian nipple fantasies though.

[Cymberleah]

Oh man, the number of series I've dropped...

Mercedes Lackey. Enough with the Valedemar, just... enough. It's a nice world and all, but all your Heralds are now Too Good To Be True.

Any series where the author has died but new books are coming out. Hitchhiker, I'm looking at you. Pern, why you now bad fanfiction?

Anything after Ender's Game. Actually, Orson Scott Card just in general.

Laurell K. Hamilton. I miss Competent!Anita. Her replacement Nymphomaniac!Anita is dull and navel-gazing.

Terry Brooks.

Anything by Sherrilyn Kenyon. First few books were nice light paranormal romantic fun, but she fell into the "I don't need an editor" trap, coupled with "fated mate, so he's being alpha not abusive" tropes. Gah.

[crashhelmet]

Any series where the author has died but new books are coming out. Hitchhiker, I'm looking at you. Pern, why you now bad fanfiction?

This is how I feel about the Jason Bourne novels. The first 3 were written by Robert Ludlum, but 9 more were written by Erik Van Lustbader after he died.

It's bad enough that they butchered the story when they made the movies, but now it seems like EVL is continuing that butchering. I like the novels he created on his own, but he's not doing Ludlum's legacy any justice with how he's continuing the series.

[SongsOfDragons]

Earth's Children? I stopped halfway through Book Three, I was so bored.

[Silverharp]

I actually like Brandon Sanderson's finishing of the WoT books. He's made the women more believable and not just snippy bitch clones of each other (or submissive bitch clones, for that matter). He's ending massive amounts of storylines that were only filler in the first place. all in all, I wonder what the series would have been like if he had written it from the beginning

[Nekojin]

I thought of one somewhat tragic example of "author burn-out" today. One of the series that I really enjoyed is called The Wizardry Compiled series, by Rick Cook*. It has five books in the series, and there will never be a sixth.

In the summer of 2000, with the sixth book mostly written (but unedited), Rick had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency open heart surgery. As a result of the surgery and the drugs that were given to him during and after the surgery, something changed in the way Rick's mind worked. He no longer thought the same way; he had absolutely no idea where he had been going with the book, and his entire writing style was notably changed (and he can't actually write long fiction at all, at this time). The book will never be finished.

That said, after some urging from those close to him, put what he had completed up to that point online for fans to enjoy, with a warning that it's very rough and an apology (and explanation) for the demise of an enjoyable series.

* The first two books in the series, Wizard's Bane and The Wizardry Compiled, are available at the Baen Free Library. Check them out if you like a little tech mixed in with your fantasy, or if you're a programming geek.

[jackfaire]

Guardians of the Flame series after the original characters were no longer the main characters.

Not so much the writing as the whole point of the stories were you had these college kids from our world living in a fantasy world they had been transplanted too and the later books it was more their kids whom had grown up in this fantasy world changing the dynamic between character and reader.

Katharine Kerr seemed to avoid this fate as she divided her epic Deverry series into smaller sections and each 3 to 4 books would be a set. Between sets she would take years planning and writing the next set.

Historically that's why Doyle killed off Sherlock he was sick of writing the character but his fans refused to read any of his other work.

Honestly I think as an author relying on each book to fund your life that being trapped into a series because nothing else you write sells because people are like, "Oh fuck that Sherlock ain't in it so I ain't reading it" That has to be one of the most horrible fates.

You start off writing a beloved character pouring everything you have into him/her and then you come to what is the obvious end of the story and you start something else but your fans won't let it go and keep hounding you about that old one.

It's not limited to books either.

I loved the show Dawson's Creek. I love the show Fringe.

There are some people that refuse to watch the latter because dammit Jackson is Pacey and will never be any other character for them.

So I think it really is as much the fault of the fans as it is the actors, writers etc themselves

[wolfie]

I thought of one somewhat tragic example of "author burn-out" today. One of the series that I really enjoyed is called The Wizardry Compiled series, by Rick Cook*. It has five books in the series, and there will never be a sixth.

That said, after some urging from those close to him, put what he had completed up to that point online for fans to enjoy, with a warning that it's very rough and an apology (and explanation) for the demise of an enjoyable series.

Do you have a link to the incomplete 6th book? I've got all 5 of the series, along with Limbo System and Mall Purchase Night.

[Andara Bledin]

Cook has several blog entries about it.
Start here.

Link to the cleaned up manuscript.

^-.-^

[Mytical]

Speaking of unsympathethic characters that never learned a damned thing; Thomas Covenant.

I was over that series by the end of book 2. >_< I was hoping he'd actually die for sure by the time I was finished with it.

^-.-^

To be fair, that is how he is supposed to be. I won't spoil anything in case you go back and read the rest, but this is not the case through the whole series. You never quite like the guy (he is a major anti-hero), but .. he does eventually learn. Though I am biased as this series is my favorite, even better (for me) then Lord of the Rings.