How good are you with finishing a series? My husband would say I’m the best. At least, when it concerns Netflix series. I can binge all day long if the series is captivating enough. I’m not that good when it comes to book series. I think the series I read as soon as the new book came out was Harry Potter. Even now I still have complete series (physical copies) that I haven’t finished yet.
Coincidentally, all of these series are adult fantasy series. I’ve been reading a lot of young adult books late (because that’s the genre I write in), but I’ll never completely break away from the genre that kept me reading. That’s why I bought the rest of the series (with more than one book unread). I want to finish these series because I really enjoyed what I read before and because I want to connect more the amazing worlds build by the authors.
Caraval – Stephanie Garber
I honestly thought I’d finish the series as soon as the other books, but no. I have them, Legendary for over a year, and I still haven’t read them. Life happens, newer books happen, but they are on my to-read list for this year because they both qualify as chonk. Since the first half of the year is mostly booked with book tours and arcs already, I hope I can find some time over the summer to read them.
Summary of Caraval
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic.
The Demon Cycle – Peter V. Brett
A series I started years ago. I stopped reading when there was a cliffhanger so amazing it just stunned me. Maybe it killed my longing to read more of it, I don’t know. I have the two last books now to motivate me to keep reading. I did take a peek at the first few pages following the cliffhanger so I know what happened next.
Summary of The Painted Man
As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise—demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards—symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human numbers dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night.
The Memories of Lady Trent – Marie Brennan
It has dragons! And a woman scientist who breaks all social rules by her interest in dragons. And she’s awesome. I’ve only read the first one so far, but I have the others, generously gifted to me by my in-laws. I didn’t like the setting of the first book much, but I loved the writing and the characters. The other books are set in different countries so I hope I’ll like those more.
Summary of The Natural History of Dragons
All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.
Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.
Valisar – Fiona McIntosh
This one might be the worst of all because I bought all of the books without knowing anything about the series or the author. And not even at a discounted price. Why? I have no idea. I liked the covers and the blurb. Sometimes that’s all you need to sell you a book. I just really hope the first book won’t disappoint me.
Summary of Royal Exile
From out of the East they came riding like a merciless plague—destroying kingdom after kingdom and the sovereigns who had previously mocked the warlord Loethar and his barbarian horde. Now only one land remains unconquered—the largest, richest, and most powerful realm of the Denova Set…
Penraven.
The Valisar royals of Penraven face certain death, for the savage tyrant Loethar covets what they alone possess: the fabled Valisar Enchantment, an irresistible power to coerce, which will belong to Loethar once every Valisar has been slain. But the last hope of the besieged kingdom is being sent in secret from his doomed home, in the company of a single warrior. The future of Penraven now rests on the shoulders of the young Crown Prince Leonel who, though untried and untested in the ways of war, must survive brutality and treachery in order to claim the Valisar throne.
Book of Words – J.V. Jones
I read The Baker’s Boy years ago and I don’t quite remember what happens, so I probably have to reread it before I continue the series. I did like it enough to buy the next books though. So that should count for something, right? This series is what I’d call a typical fantasy series with multiple points of view (so many I don’t remember all of them), character archetypes and the medieval fantasy setting. Still, if the story isn’t good or entertaining
Summary
At vast Castle Harvell, Where King Lesketh lies dying, two fates collide. In her regal suite, young Melliandra, the daughter of an influential lord, rebels against her forced betrothal to the sinister Prince Kylock. In the kitchens, an apprentice named Jack is terrified by his sudden, uncontrolled power to work miracles. Together they flee the castle, stalked by a sorcer who has connived for decades to control the crown, committing supernatural murder to advance his schemes.
Meanwhile, a young knight begins a quest leaving behind his home and family to seek out the treacherous Isle of Larn, where lies a clue to his desperate search for the truth.
And a wondrous epic of darkness and beauty begins…
Do you have physical copies of completed series still unread? What keeps you from finishing a series?
Great post! I absolutely need to do something like this for my series too! You have a great list!