In order

[nialla42]

Do you prefer the read/watch things in order? I always have, and in my years of working in the library, it seems most people do. They'll sometimes skip a book if we don't have it, but in general, they want the beginning, middle, and end, in exactly that order

Comments

[ariss_tenoh]

Either he has a good memory or he enjoys putting the puzzle/events together in his mind.

But personally I'd read/watch anything in its order.

[nialla42]

What kills me is there's a character threaded through the series, with his history is mostly a secret, in which it's revealed in #16. Depending on how much he's read of that character, he's either going to be so confused or wonder why his history is such a big deal because he's read the later stuff and already knows it.

[ariss_tenoh]

LOL! Or there's a third option: he enjoys annoying you^_~

[nialla42]

I have a lot of people who pick up a random book, then want to go back and read the series from the start, so I didn't even say anything to him until he came up with a stack that was half from an epic series, but from non-sequential titles. I haven't said anything since, so he'd have no idea it bothers my read in order self.

[tx_cronopio]

As devil-may-care as I am in huge parts of my life, yes, you have to read/watch things in order! Otherwise you miss so much.

[nialla42]

Even with series that have a slow or rough start, I still prefer to start at the beginning, for exactly that reason. Even a mediocre book, movie, or episode in an otherwise good series has plot points and character building that make later installments mean so much more.

[spikedluv]

OMG in order!

People often ask me where they should start in a new tv series, for example, and I'm all *flails* With the first ep, of course!!!@

[nialla42]

Honestly, every time this guy checks out with stuff at random, it makes my right eye twitch.

[archersangel]

It depends on what it is.
i read the amelia peabody series out of order (the first time & went through it in order later) & don't think i've missed much.
but i'm a bit lost reading the midnight louie series by carole nelson douglas out of order, because that deals with on-going plot lines. and i'm only reading it our of order, because i pick up things as i find them at thrift places or at booklender and didn't have the patience to collect all of the ones that were out at the time before i stared reading.

[nialla42]

Some series use the same characters and just run them through a slightly different plot in each book, with a few ongoing background plots. Those you can get the gist if you accidentally pick up a later book.

One series this guy is reading has an epic plot spanning millennia, literal gods and goddesses, magic, time travel shenanigans, and quite a few characters who turn out to be not who or what we think they are, and even they don't always know the truth either. The thought of reading it out of order makes my head hurt.

[green_grrl]

Aaaaaaaaagh! Is he maybe doing that just to punk you? I mean... Gah!

I've seen people recommend reading Discworld by topic (wizards, witches, Watch, etc.), but I always say in order is best.

[nialla42]

I don't think so, as I haven't said anything after my initial mention of helping him to find the next book in order.

I tried Discworld starting with the first book and couldn't get into it, then had some folks saying I shouldn't have started with the first book. I just...

[green_grrl]

I did randomly pick one off the library shelf and LOVED it. I went back to the start, and Pratchett was definitely not that great a writer at the start. After the first three or four (which are fairly short), he really hits his groove, and eventually soars.