Serial Reading

I love books that come in series. It’s fun to follow a character, or even a whole community of characters, through the years, to see them change, grow, and age. I wait and watch for the author’s next release, like anticipating a visit from an old friend.

I guess the two I’ve been following the longest are Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta and Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon. These series are very different from each other, but both are based around a character who fascinates me.

One great thing about a series is that, unless the author abandons the character (which can seem like a death in the family to faithful readers), you’ve always got another read lined up, even if you have to wait for it.

But it’s fun too, to discover a series that’s already been written, or is at least well on its way. Then you can have a marathon reading session, buying them all at once and reading them straight through.

There are a couple of series that I’m planning on reading this way, in the distant, after-dissertation future. One is Alexander McCall Smith’s Ladies Detective Agency, which has been recommended to me several times over the last couple of years by readers whose opinions I respect. Another is the (gasp) Harry Potter books. I know. I’m so out of touch. I may even read the Twilight series—not so much because I’m fascinated by teenagers and vampires but because of the impact these books have made on young readers, many of whom I’ll probably have in future classes.

Any suggestions for other series that I should check out?