24 October 2013

Discussion: Series vs. Standalones

So, since I am having a sick day, I thought it would be a great idea to make a longer post - since I have the time. I have chosen to talk about series vs. standalones, because it something I think about everytime I either buy books or have to choose a new book to read, but here we go.

Story
Some series are great story wise - for example Harry Potter - one book would never be enough so it is great that there are multiple books set in the same world. But there are also some series that contains 4 books but the story is dragged out, so 2 or 3 books would have been better.
Then there is the standalones, for the most part, I like standalones better - I HATE cliffhangers - but also the story is actionpacked or filled with amazing scenes because everything has to be in this 1 book.
Sometimes series are better, because you get to know the characters better and you get to live in their world for a longer period of time. But other times standalones are just better because the story does not have to be dragged out over multiple books.
I would say that this one is a tie.

Series: 1
Standalones: 1

Characters 
When I look back, most of my favorite characters are from series, because when you really like a character that is in a series, you get to know them better and watch them evolve. You get to see them grow and learn new things. You get to see how sad they get over the tragedies they experience. And you get to see how triumphant they are when they overcome something.
Sometimes I just do not feel like I really get to know the characters when I read standalones. The only characters from a standalone I have "befriended" are from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
When it comes to series, I can honestly say that I feel like Hermione is one of my best friends ever and that I can tell her everything. Harry and Ron are those boys you just cannot help to like and become friends with. I feel like I could just meet Hermione, Ron and Harry, and then die happy. Because then I have met my best friends ever.
This one would have to go to series..

Series: 2
Standalones: 1

Covers
I have a bit OCD, so cover changes REALLY bothers me. I cannot look at series or buy them, if the covers do not match, I really can't. That problem is something you very easily get over with standalones - because you just have to find the version of the book you like and then you are done. You do not have to worry about matching covers or get mad if you cannot find them.
Okay, I only have one problem with that. I want all my John Green books to match, so I have to find the yellow version of Paper Towns with the car on... And I cannot find it ANYWHERE. But other than that, the standalones win.

Series: 2
Standalones: 2

Money
Obviously series are, for the most part, more expensive. Because if you want to buy all of them it tends to add up - especially with the longer series, trilogies and duologies are not that big a problem. Standalones are ofcourse a "one time pay", you pay for it and that is that, you have a WHOLE story in your hand.

Series: 2
Standalones: 3

Time
I think it is safe to say that everyone has read a marvelous book that ends on a cliffhanger - then you find out that it is a series and the next books comes out in a year. For example the Divergent trilogy, my friend has waited and waited for the third one to come out, and I personally got extremely mad when I read the Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer.. I read the sequel, because I thought it was a duology. Then it ends on a cliffhanger and I am like NO, this is NOT TRUE. And ofcourse I find out that it takes a year or so before it gets published - and books here in Denmark tends to get published ½ a year after the actual release date -.-' lucky me.

Series: 2
Standalones: 4

So we have a winner, and that is STANDALONES, which is what I expected, but it was actually fun to find the pros and cons for both sides.

Do you prefer series or standalones? And what is your favorite series and favorite standalone?

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